Free Bible lesson for kids · The Kings
Israel Asks for a King
When Samuel was old, the elders of Israel came to him and said, “Make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” Samuel prayed, and the LORD told him that the people had not rejected Samuel but had rejected God as their King. At Mizpeh God chose Saul, who had hid himself among the stuff, and all the people shouted, “God save the king.”
- Bible passage
- 1 Samuel 8:4–22 · 10:17–24
- Big idea
- God is the true King, and He wants the first place in our hearts.
- Memory verse
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
1 Samuel 12:24 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
When Samuel was old and his sons did not walk in his ways, the elders of Israel asked him for a king to judge them like all the nations (1 Samuel 8:4–5). This displeased Samuel, and he prayed (1 Samuel 8:6). The LORD said the people had not rejected Samuel; they had rejected God as their King (1 Samuel 8:7).
Samuel warned that a king would take their sons, their best fields and a tenth of their sheep, but the people said, “Nay; but we will have a king over us” (1 Samuel 8:11–19). At Mizpeh Samuel reminded the people that God had saved them out of all their troubles (1 Samuel 10:17–19). Then God chose Saul, but Saul had hidden himself among the stuff (1 Samuel 10:21–22). When they brought him out, he was taller than everyone, and the people shouted, “God save the king” (1 Samuel 10:23–24).
Read it in the Bible: 1 Samuel 8:4–22 (KJV)
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. 19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
Questions to ask
Why did the elders want a king?
Samuel was old, his sons did not walk in his ways, and they wanted to be like all the nations (1 Samuel 8:5).
Whom had the people really rejected?
Not Samuel, but the LORD, that He should not reign over them (1 Samuel 8:7).
Where was Saul when they looked for him?
He had hid himself among the stuff (1 Samuel 10:22).
What this story teaches
- God is the true King over His people (1 Samuel 8:7).
- Wanting to be like everyone else can pull us away from God (1 Samuel 8:19–20).
- We can bring our troubles to the LORD in prayer (1 Samuel 8:6).
- God saved His people out of all their troubles (1 Samuel 10:19).
- We should serve the LORD with all our heart (1 Samuel 12:24).
Jesus Is King of Kings
Israel wanted a king like the other nations. Jesus is the greatest King of all, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Revelation 19:16
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to be the King of our hearts and to help us trust Him most of all. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God is the true King, and He wants the first place in our hearts.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say 1 Samuel 12:24 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Hiding Among the Stuff
You need: A small paper crown, a messy pile of toys and blankets
- Hide the crown somewhere in the pile while the kids cover their eyes.
- Everyone searches with their eyes only. No touching!
- The first to spot it says, “There’s Saul!”
When God chose Saul, he was hiding among the stuff. The people wanted a king, but God was already their King.
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes
Like Everybody Else
You need: Nothing
- Play follow-the-leader with a weird pose, and watch how fast everyone copies.
- Read 1 Samuel 8:19–20: “that we also may be like all the nations.”
- Talk: where do you feel pressure to be like everyone else?
Israel wanted to be like everyone else. God calls His people to be different, because He is their King.
Pray
Ask God to be the King of our hearts and to help us trust Him most of all.