Free Bible lesson for kids · Elijah and Elisha
The Pots of Oil
A widow whose husband had feared the LORD owed a debt, and the creditor was coming to take her two sons. Elisha told her to borrow empty vessels from all her neighbours, shut the door, and pour from her one pot of oil. The oil kept flowing until every vessel was full, and Elisha told her to sell it and pay her debt.
- Bible passage
- 2 Kings 4:1–7
- Big idea
- God can take the little we have and make it more than enough.
- Memory verse
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (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
A widow cried out to Elisha, the man of God. Her husband, who feared the LORD, had died, and a man she owed money to was coming to take her two sons as servants (2 Kings 4:1). She had nothing in the house “save a pot of oil” (2 Kings 4:2). Elisha told her to borrow empty vessels from all her neighbours, and “borrow not a few” (2 Kings 4:3).
Then she shut the door and poured oil into all the vessels her sons brought her, until every one was full (2 Kings 4:4–6). When she asked for another, her son said, “There is not a vessel more.” Then the oil stopped (2 Kings 4:6). Elisha said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest” (2 Kings 4:7). God had given her more than enough.
Read it in the Bible: 2 Kings 4:1–7 (KJV)
1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. 2And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 6And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
Questions to ask
What did the widow have in her house?
Nothing but a pot of oil (2 Kings 4:2).
What did Elisha tell her to borrow?
Empty vessels from all her neighbours, and not a few.
When did the oil stop flowing?
When there was not a vessel more (2 Kings 4:6).
What this story teaches
- God cares for widows and children in trouble (2 Kings 4:1, 7).
- God can use the little we have to do great things (2 Kings 4:2, 6).
- The widow trusted and obeyed, and every vessel was filled (2 Kings 4:5–6).
- God gives us what we need, and more besides (2 Kings 4:7).
- God promises to supply all our needs through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Jesus Takes Away Our Debt
God gave the widow what she needed to pay her debt. Our sins are like a debt we cannot pay, but God forgives them through Jesus’ cross.
Colossians 2:13–14
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank God for giving us what we need, and bring Him the little we have. |
|---|---|
| 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 can take the little we have and make it more than enough.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Philippians 4:19 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
Borrow the Vessels
You need: Cups and containers hidden around the room, a pitcher of yellow water, a tray
- Kids have two minutes to find and collect every empty “vessel” in the room.
- Line them up on the tray.
- A leader pours the “oil” into each one until all are full. Count them together.
The oil kept flowing until every vessel was full. God gave the widow more than enough.
For youth group · activity · outdoors · about 90 minutes
Yard Help Day
You need: Rakes, gloves, bags, a list of widows or older neighbors who need help
- Rake leaves, mow or clean up yards for widows and older neighbors.
- Work in teams and don’t accept payment.
- Pray with the homeowner if they’d like.
God cares for widows and families in need, and He sends His people to help.
Pray
Thank God for giving us what we need, and bring Him the little we have.