Family Home Evening Lesson #38: DAVID AND GOLIATH

1. Opening Prayer

2. Sing "Nephi's Courage" Children's Songbook pg. 120

3. Read 1 Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

4. Read and discuss "David Slays Goliath" from The Gospel Art Picture Kit:

The Philistines and the Israelites were at war with each other. The Philistines gathered their armies on one mountain, while King Saul and the men of Israel gathered across the valley on the opposite mountain.

Goliath was a giant Philistine soldier who was over nine feet tall. He wore heavy armor and a brass helmet and carried a large spear. Goliath shouted to the Israelite army to send a man to fight him. He said that if the Israelite killed him, the Philistines would be servants to the Israelites. But if Goliath killed the Israelite, then the Israelites would be servants to the Philistines. King Saul and his army were afraid of Goliath.

Goliath repeated his challenge each night and day for 40 days, but no one was brave enough to fight him.

A man named Jesse had three sons who were part of Saul’s army. But David, Jesse’s youngest son, still lived in Bethlehem with his father. Jesse asked David to take some food to his three brothers and find out how they were doing.

While David was with his brothers, Goliath again shouted his challenge. The Israelites fled when they saw Goliath. David asked the soldiers, “Who is this … Philistine, that he should defy [challenge] the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).

When Saul was told what David had said, he sent for him. David told Saul that he would fight Goliath. But Saul said to David, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33).

David told Saul that the Lord had helped him kill a lion and a bear while he tended his father’s sheep. He said the Lord would help him as he fought Goliath. Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Samuel 17:37).

Then Saul gave David his armor, a helmet, and a sword, but they were too big and heavy for David. He removed the armor and took only his staff, five smooth stones, and a sling as he went to face the mighty Goliath.

When Goliath saw the young boy without armor, he made fun of him and cursed him. David said, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45). David told Goliath that with the Lord’s help, he would kill him.

As Goliath came near, David put a stone in his sling, swung the sling around his head, and let the stone go. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and Goliath fell to the ground. David then used Goliath’s sword to kill the giant and cut off his head. When the Philistine army saw that Goliath was dead, they fled, but the men of Israel chased them and defeated them in battle.

5. Closing Prayer

Additional Resources: Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives (Ensign, Jan. 2002)
Comfort and Courage From the Scriptures (Friend, Sept. 2006)