DAVID AND BATHSHEBA
2 Samuel CHAPTER 11 David lies with Bathsheba, and she conceives—He then arranges for the death in battle of her husband, Uriah.
2 Samuel CHAPTER 12 Nathan tells David the parable of the ewe lamb—The Lord gave many wives to David, who is now cursed for taking Bathsheba—David fasts and prays for his son, but the Lord takes him—Solomon is born—David conquers the royal city of the Ammonites.
The Lord can help me when I am tempted.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026
“King David” in Old Testament Stories, 117–20, can help you tell your children the story in 2 Samuel 11. You might ask your children to identify the wrong choices David made and suggest good choices he could have made instead. What are some things we can do when we are being tempted that can help us make the right choice?
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022
The children you teach make small but important decisions every day. How can you help them understand the importance of choosing what’s right even when it’s hard?
- To share an example of someone who, unlike David, resisted temptation, ask the children if they remember the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife (see Genesis 39:7–12). You might review this story with the children and help them compare it with the story of David. What can we learn from the stories of David and of Joseph about how to resist temptation? (Watch below video until .38)
Lesson 15: Joseph Was Sold into Egypt,” Primary 6: Old Testament Tell the class that the nail, pin, or paper clip represents us. Place it between the two magnets on a flat surface so it can be attracted by one or the other. Show that the further away from “Satan” we are, the less power he has to tempt us. As you move the metal object toward the magnet representing God, explain that the closer we live to the Lord, the more we are influenced by his goodness. When we seek after good, we are less influenced by that which is evil. (What can we do to draw close to God? How can the Holy Ghost help us?)
- Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know that it is harder to avoid temptation when we allow ourselves to get close to it. Discuss with the children how they could distance themselves from temptation in the following situations:
- You could make a list on the chalkboard of temptations, Discuss strategies for resisting evil, such as removing ourselves from the situation and replacing the temptation with something wholesome. Erase each harmful influence from the chalkboard as it is discussed.
Friend June 2022 “Come, Follow Me Activities” The Lamb Story
Story: The prophet Nathan told a story about two men. The first man had lots of lambs. The second man had only one lamb. The man with many lambs stole the other man’s lamb. That made the man with only one lamb very sad. It also made Heavenly Father sad. (See 2 Samuel 12:1–4.)
Song: “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79)
Activity: Act out the story of the two men and the lambs. You could use toys or other objects for the lambs. Then act it out again, but this time change the ending! What can the first man do to be kind instead of selfish?
Lesson 30: King David and Bathsheba,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 131–34
To help the children keep their thoughts and actions pure.
Reading about David’s tragic sins might be a good opportunity to discuss the dangers of pornography. The video “What Should I Do When I See Pornography?” (Gospel Library) has helpful guidance. Help your children make a plan about what they will do when they encounter pornography.
Discuss some ways the children can interrupt impure thoughts that may come to them (turn away, leave the situation, replace the bad thoughts with good thoughts and actions, say a prayer, think of an uplifting song or verse of scripture, recite the thirteenth article of faith, and so forth). Challenge the class members to be prepared in advance with a specific replacement for an undesirable thought. Allow them a minute to choose something uplifting they can think of instead.
For additional teaching ideas see Teaching Children the Gospel “Temptation”
THE WISDOM OF KING SOLOMON
1 Kings CHAPTER 3 Solomon loves the Lord and keeps His commandments—The Lord appears to Solomon and promises him a wise and an understanding heart—He judges between two harlots and determines who is the mother of a child.
I can walk in the ways of God.
“Lesson 31: The Wisdom of King Solomon,” Primary 6: Old Testament Lesson includes great questions and lesson and story ideas
Attention Activity
Ask the children to name things they would ask for if they knew they could ask Heavenly Father for anything and he would give it to them. Write the children’s ideas on the chalkboard.
Show the children some waterproof items that could represent worldly goods, such as a piece of jewelry, a coin, a pretty rock, and so on. Put the items in a large pitcher or container as you talk about them and discuss how some people spend most of their efforts accumulating material goods. Then add some water to the container to represent good deeds or spiritual gifts as you discuss the kind deeds we can do and the spiritual gifts we can develop, such as helping a family member or friend, gaining a testimony, being honest, or having an understanding heart. Pour the contents of the container through a strainer into another container. Explain that the first container represents someone’s life, the strainer represents death, and the second container represents life after death. Discuss how we cannot take material goods with us when we die, but we do take with us the spiritual gifts we have developed and the good deeds we have done.
Ask the children which of the items on the chalkboard represent things that could last forever and if they would like to change anything they named before. Tell the children that they are going to learn about someone who was able to ask God for one thing, and he chose an eternal, spiritual gift instead of a temporary, earthly one.
Write knowledge, wisdom, and an understanding heart on the chalkboard. Discuss the meaning of each one. Explain that knowledge is learning gained through study or experience; wisdom is using what we have learned in the best way to make right choices; and an understanding heart enables us to know how others feel.
Have the children find the book of Proverbs in their Bibles. Explain that most of these proverbs (wise sayings) were written by Solomon, and because of his great wisdom, these sayings can help us today. (See the lesson link for a list of some of the wise sayings found in Proverbs.)
Two Women, One Baby
“Lesson 96: 1 Kings 1–10,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material We read in 1 Kings 3:16–23 that two women petitioned King Solomon to judge a difficult situation. The two women lived in one house and had borne children at about the same time. One night, one of the women woke up to find that her baby had died. Rather than mourn the loss of her baby, she switched her dead baby with the other woman’s baby. The next morning, when the second woman awoke to nurse her child, she found the other woman’s dead baby in her arms instead of her son. When the women came before Solomon, the first woman fervently denied the other woman’s accusation that she had switched the babies.
Read 1 Kings 3:24–27 to find out how Solomon identified the child’s rightful mother.
We read in 1 Kings 3:28 that all of Israel heard of this experience and recognized that God had blessed Solomon with wisdom. According to 1 Kings 4, knowledge of Solomon’s wisdom spread to other nations.
THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON
1 Kings CHAPTER 8 The ark, containing the two tablets of stone, is placed in the holy of holies—The glory of the Lord fills the temple—Solomon offers the dedicatory prayer—He asks for temporal and spiritual blessings upon repentant and prayerful Israel—The people sacrifice and worship for fourteen days.
Making covenants in the Lord’s house—and keeping them—helps me walk in His ways.
Explain to the children that David, Solomon’s father, had wanted to build a temple but was denied the privilege. The Lord instead chose Solomon to direct the seven years of construction. When the elaborate temple (much of it was overlaid with gold) was finished, the priests carried the ark of the covenant, which contained the two tablets of stone the Lord gave Moses, “to the most holy place” of the building (1 Kings 8:6). Then the glory of the Lord filled the temple (see 1 Kings 8:10–11), and Solomon offered the dedicatory prayer (see 1 Kings 8:22–53.)
For the Israelites, building and dedicating the temple was an opportunity to turn their hearts to the Lord and recommit to “walk in all his ways” (1 Kings 8:58). How can you help the children you teach “walk in all his ways”?
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026
- As you and your children learn about the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8, you could look at the pictures of temples in this week’s outline. Let your children talk about details they see in the pictures. You might emphasize verses 57–58. What does it mean to “walk in all [the Lord’s] ways”? (1 Kings 8:58). Maybe your children could take a step for each answer they give.
- Tell your children how keeping the covenants you make in the temple helps you walk in the Lord’s ways. You might tell them what these covenants are (see General Handbook, 27.2, Gospel Library).
- Help the children understand that we walk in the Lord’s ways when we follow Jesus and try to become like Him. Ask the children what they do to walk in the Savior’s ways. You could sing a song about following Jesus, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79).
For additional lesson ideas see Temple
Old Testament Coloring Book “The Temple of Solomon”
SOLOMON TURNS FROM GOD
1 Kings CHAPTER 11 Solomon marries non-Israelite women, and his wives turn his heart to the worship of false gods—The Lord stirs up adversaries against him, including Jeroboam, the son of Nebat—Ahijah promises Jeroboam that he will be the king of the ten tribes—Solomon dies and Rehoboam reigns in his stead.
I can put the Lord first in my life.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026
- Reading about how Solomon’s wives influenced him could lead to a conversation about examples of “other gods”—or things that people worship or love instead of the Lord. How do we show that we love Him more than anything else in our lives?
See also Priorities
Additional Resources
Latter Day Kids “Walk in His Ways” Lesson ideas