David and the Holy Bread Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “But God took care of David.”
David had to run away from King Saul. He said goodbye to his best friend, Jonathan. Then he left in a hurry. He had no food. He had no sword. And he was very hungry. But God took care of David.
David came to a town called Nob. God’s house, the tabernacle, was there. A tabernacle is a big tent for worshiping God. Many priests lived in Nob. A priest named Ahimelech worked there. A priest is a helper in God’s house.
Ahimelech came out to meet David. He was trembling. Trembling means shaking, a little afraid. “Why are you alone, and no man with you?” he asked.
David said, “Please give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is available.” Available means whatever you have. Let’s count five loaves on our fingers: one, two, three, four, five!
But the priest said, “I have no common bread, but there is holy bread.” Common bread is everyday bread. Holy bread was special bread for God’s house.
Every week, the priests baked twelve loaves. They set them on a golden table, before the LORD. Six loaves in one row, six in the other. When the fresh, hot bread came, the old bread was taken away. Only the priests ate that bread. Mmm! Can you smell the warm bread?
But that day, the priest gave David the holy bread. Now David had food to eat. But God took care of David.
Then David asked, “Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword?” The priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine is here, wrapped in a cloth.” Goliath was the giant David had beaten long ago, in the valley of Elah!
“There is none like that,” said David. “Give it to me.” So David took the giant’s big sword with him. Can you lift something very heavy with both hands? Oof! But God took care of David.
Many, many years later, Jesus walked through a field of grain with his friends. It was the Sabbath, the day of rest. His friends were hungry. So they picked some grain to eat as they went. Some people said, “That is not allowed on the Sabbath!”
Then Jesus talked about this very day. “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry?” Jesus asked. And he told them how David ate the holy bread. David was hungry, and God’s priest fed him.
Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” That means God gave the rest day as a gift, to help people.
David also wrote a song. It begins like this: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.” A shepherd takes care of his sheep. To lack nothing means to have all you need. And Jesus once said, “I am the good shepherd.”
God gave David bread and help on the way. And God gives you what you need, day by day. Now rest, like a little sheep safe with the shepherd. But God took care of David.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think David felt when the priest gave him the bread?
- Who takes care of you when you are hungry?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
David asked for 5 loaves of bread. Color the 5 loaves.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.” — Psalm 23:1 (The LORD → point up; is my shepherd → hold a pretend shepherd’s staff; I shall lack nothing → rub your full tummy)
Dear God, thank you for my food every day. Thank you that you take care of me. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God Cares More About People
Memory verse: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.” — Psalm 23:1 · WEB
The Bible story
Hungry and far from home, brave David meets a kind priest who shares God's very special holy bread, and learns that God always cares for tired travelers.
Talk about it
- Why did David have to leave his home? — King Saul was jealous of him
- How was David feeling as he traveled? — Tired and hungry
- What was the name of the town David came to? — Nob
- Who did David meet in the town? — Ahimelech the priest
- What did David ask the priest for first? — Some bread to eat
- What was the special bread on God's holy table called? — Bread of the Presence
Where is Jesus in this story?
Many years later, Jesus told this very story about David and the holy bread. Some people were upset that Jesus and His friends picked grain to eat on a rest day, but Jesus reminded them that God cares more about loving and feeding people than about keeping strict rules. Jesus is like that holy bread, given for us. He even called Himself the Bread of Life, sharing Himself so that our hearts can be full and never hungry again.
What God wants to tell us
When David was tired, hungry, and afraid, God sent a kind priest to help him. This story shows us that God cares about our real needs, both big and small. Rules can be good, but people matter even more to God. Whenever you are worried or hungry for help, you can trust that God sees you, loves you, and will always find a way to care for you, just as He cared for David.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for always knowing exactly what I need. Thank You for kind people who help me when I am tired or hungry. Help me to be gentle and kind to others, just like the priest was kind to David. I trust that You are always with me, wherever I go. Amen.
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