DAVID AND GOLIATH – Bible Story for Young Children

Preparation: Find a picture of Goliath in your files or on-line. Cut out the face and paste on a wall 9 feet up, if your room is that big!

(Another option for showing the children how tall Goliath was — use long wrapping paper cardboard tube to show the size of Goliath up against a small TP cardboard roll.)

Teacher asks the class: “Who is the tallest person you can think of?” (Show me with your hand about how tall you think they are.)

All of these people you know are very, very tall.

But the Bible tells us about a man who was even taller. He was this tall (point to face of Goliath). His name was Goliath. He was a soldier for Philistine army.

Soldiers often wear uniforms. Have you ever seen a solider dressed in an Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines uniform? (Perhaps show pictures of these uniforms.)

Goliath also wore what would be like a uniform — a heavy coat that protected him – brass on his legs for protection – a really, really big spear. (Show picture of Goliath.)

Only a very strong man could fight with such heavy armor and weaponry.

Because he was such a tall, huge man – he was not afraid of anyone.

He would yell to the armies of Israel — “I’m ready to fight. Pick a man from your army and have him come and fight me.”

Goliath was very, very, very big.

King Saul and the soldiers fighting for Israel were afraid. What were they going to do?

Here was this great big man — he was called a giant he was so big. No one was brave enough to fight him.

Someone HAD to fight the giant. Because the soldier who won, would win the battle for his whole army!

There was a young boy named David who was at the battlefield because his older brothers were fighting there.

When David saw Goliath, his eyes opened big and wide. This man was really, really, really, really, BIG!

But David did not like the way the giant was talking to the armies of the living God.

And since none of his brothers — none of the soldiers were volunteering to fight the giant — David went to the king and said, “I’ll fight the giant Goliath.”

Everyone watched as David stopped alongside a small brook and took five stones.

They saw him open his shepherd’s bag and put the stones inside.

Everyone watched as David started walking toward the giant with only his staff and his sling.

God gave David a super special dose of super courage that day.

David said to the giant: “You come at me with a sword and spear. But I come to you in the name of the Lord. Today the Lord will conquer you. This battle is the Lord’s.”

David loaded his sling.

David took aim.

David slung his sling in a circle.

David let it go.

The stone streaked through the air and hit Goliath square between the eyes with a THUNK.

David, the shepherd boy, killed the great, big giant Goliath and won the battle for the king of Israel.

God had a special job for David to do and He gave him the courage to do it.

Joshua 1:9 — “Be strong and courageous … for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Song: Be Strong from Workmanship album. (Click on song title to hear a clip.)