David and Goliath Bible Story

Are you looking for teaching materials on the David and Goliath Bible Story for kids? Then
look no further! Throughout this page, we’ll share key facts, corresponding resources and
why this topic can be beneficial for teaching.

A Tale of Israelites versus Philistines

The David and Goliath Bible story relates to a key Christian teaching from the book of
Samual in the Old Testament. Because it was written before Jesus was born, this book is
also known as the Hebrew Bible.

It tells the story of two tribes of people, known as the Israelites and the Philistines. Due to
being enemies, they planned a large battle against each other and assembled armies.

The Philistines had an enormous army, including a giant called Goliath. It is thought that
he was 9 feet tall! He wore a huge helmet and armour all over his body. It was made of
bronze and weighed 125 pounds. That’s heavier than a small child! On his legs, Goliath
also wore bronze greaves and had a sharp javelin on his back. He was holding a sharp
spear shaft too with an iron point. All in all, he was fit for battle and a terrifying threat to
the Israelites.

On the battlefield, Goliath said, Why do you come out and line up for battle? Choose a man
and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your
subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.
Give me a man and let us fight each other.”

For 40 days, Goliath went towards the Israelites to ask for a battle.

A small shepherd boy heard this and decided he would be the one to fight Goliath. His
name was David and he was one of the Israelites. He asked his leader, King Saul about
this. Saul agreed that David would be the one to fight Goliath, and said: “Go, and the Lord
be with you”.

King Saul dressed David in his very own tunic. Armour was put on his body for protection
and a large helmet was put on his head. But David the shepherd boy was not used to this.
“I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them,” said David and he removed the
heavy armour.

He then walked towards a nearby stream and put five smooth stones into the pouch of his
shepherd’s bag. He then walked towards Goliath, the Philistine. When seeing David
approach him, Goliath said, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? Come here and
I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”.

David replied, “you come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I have the Lord
on my side!” And all at once, he put one of the five stones into the sling, swung it around
his head, and let the stone go. It hit Goliath’s skull and he fell face-down to the ground. Not
even with a sword or armour, David had killed Goliath and saved the Israelites from
becoming slaves to the Philistines.
David then grabbed Goliath’s sword and used it to cut off the giant’s head. The Israelites
gasped in disbelief, before cheering for David’s victory. On the other hand, the Philistines
realised their defeat and fled from the battlefield.

David then took the giant’s head and took it with him to Jerusalem, symbolising his
victory. He also put the giant’s weapons, such as his sword in his tent.

To teach this David and Goliath Bible Story for kids in Primary school, check out this KS1
Power Point. Set across 14 slides with colourful images and annotations, children are
sure to stay engaged and inspired by this story.
Why is the David and Goliath Bible Story important for kids in
school?
For Christians, the story symbolises how God can protect us and is on our side. In the
story, this is implied when David says, “I have the Lord on my side”. As a result, David
manages to conquer the giant, Goliath and save the Israelites from slavery. From a
Christian perspective, this can illustrate the power of faith and the importance of believing
in God.

When standing up to a 9-foot giant and killing him, David manages to do the impossible. In
this sense, the story can inspire children to believe in themselves and confront the big
challenges they face in life.

David sets an example for children to follow. He illustrates the values of courage and
staying true to what you believe in, no matter what the odds are.

For kids, the David and Goliath Bible story also communicates the triumph of wisdom over
physical strength. David is a small shepherd boy, who refuses to wear armour in the story.
Goliath is an enormous giant, with bronze armour, a javelin and a spear shaft.
Nevertheless, David still manages to conquer Goliath, through his ability to think clearly,
carefully and differently. Pupils can learn the importance of this and perhaps practise it in
their own lives. Never underestimate the power of good ideas!

Related resources on the David and Goliath Bible story for kids:
Check whether children know this story’s correct order of events with these Sequencing
Cards. A cutting and sticking activity, children can practise fine motor skills, whilst
engaging with the story and its key associations to Christianity. It’s a wonderful way to
conclude RE lessons in this story.

For Drama lessons, we recommend these Story Role Play Masks or these Stick Puppets.
Who will play the towering giant, Goliath and who else will play the wise shepherd boy,
David? Several other children can play the troops in the armies and one other child can
play King Saul! This is a fantastic activity to do with an entire class. Children can work in
groups and enjoy getting into character. Pupils will also gain confidence from performing
in front of each other and get entertained in return!
Looking to freshen-up your RE display? We have a number of display materials on this
topic which could help, such as this Display Banner, these posters and this word mat.
Stimulate visual learning, aid memory and engage kids with the David and Goliath Bible
story!

Children could add to this display with finished projects, such as these colouring sheets.
From crayons to felt-tips or even creating a collage, children can enjoy the freedom of
expressing themselves and get creative. Plus, this resource can also encourage children
who find reading and writing challenging.

To begin an RE class, you might want to share the short video below. With narrating and
cartoon animations throughout, it’s just another great way of teaching the David and
Goliath Bible story for kids.

Or if you’re wanting to plan a series of lessons for different subjects, we’ve made this
handy set of lesson ideas with links to resources. For English lessons, children do an
independent writing task using these page borders. They can write from the point of view
of David. How would you feel if you had to face a 9-foot giant? Anxious or frightened? Ask
children to write down the words and sentences that express how they’d feel on the
battlefield.

This task is excellent for improving children’s written communication skills. They will
expand their vocabulary and also their ability to think empathetically. It’s also ideal for
either lessons or as a homework assignment!
Or for PSHE lessons, you could use this story to prompt discussions on equality. How are
David and Goliath different from each other? Use these discussion cards to generate
conversations and ideas. Children can appreciate how we may look different on the
outside, but (with the metaphor of eggs), we are often very similar inside, with feelings
and emotions.

So there you are! A comprehensive guide on the David and Goliath Bible Story for kids. We
hope you enjoy implementing some of these activities in your lessons and that children
learn something new that they might not have expected. If there’s something we missed
or you particularly liked, just let us know in the feedback sections of the resource pages!
For more information on other Christian stories, just click here.

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