Single lesson
Samuel's Farewell Address
1 Samuel 12:1–25
In this lesson, children will hear Samuel’s farewell address and notice his main message. Even after Israel asked for a king, Samuel called the people to keep fearing Yahweh, listening to him and serving him wholeheartedly.
Before you teach
In this passage, Samuel speaks to all Israel after a king has been made. He reminds them of his honest leadership, retells how Yahweh rescued their people in the past, explains their wrong in asking for a king, and urges them to keep following Yahweh.
Students will be able to say that 1 Samuel 12 teaches God’s people to remember what Yahweh has done and to serve him faithfully with all their heart.
Welcome: What makes a leader trustworthy?
5 minAsk children to name qualities of a trustworthy leader, then explain that Samuel first speaks about his own conduct. Read how he asks whether he has taken, defrauded, oppressed or accepted a bribe, and the people answer that he has not. This shows Samuel’s honesty before Yahweh and the king.
1 Samuel 12:1, 1 Samuel 12:2, 1 Samuel 12:3, 1 Samuel 12:4, 1 Samuel 12:5
Read and explain: Samuel retells Yahweh’s help
8 minRead aloud the middle part of the passage step by step. First, Samuel recalls Jacob coming into Egypt, the fathers crying to Yahweh, and Yahweh sending Moses and Aaron to bring them out and settle them in the land. Then Samuel says the people forgot Yahweh, came under enemies, cried out with confession, and Yahweh sent deliverers. After that, they asked for a king even though Yahweh was their king.
1 Samuel 12:6, 1 Samuel 12:7, 1 Samuel 12:8, 1 Samuel 12:9, 1 Samuel 12:10, 1 Samuel 12:11, 1 Samuel 12:12, 1 Samuel 12:13
Discuss: What should the people do now?
6 minRead the verses that begin with ‘If you will fear Yahweh’. Explain that Samuel connects fearing Yahweh with serving him, listening to his voice and not rebelling against his commandment. He says both the people and the king must follow Yahweh. If they refuse to listen, Yahweh’s hand will be against them.
1 Samuel 12:14, 1 Samuel 12:15
Make and respond: Reminder card from a key verse
7 minRead about the thunder and rain, the people’s confession, and Samuel’s response. Let each child choose a key line for a small reminder card from the closing appeal, such as ‘serve Yahweh with all your heart’ or ‘consider what great things he has done for you’. Children write the verse and draw one symbol from the passage, such as a heart, rain cloud or crown.
1 Samuel 12:17, 1 Samuel 12:18, 1 Samuel 12:19, 1 Samuel 12:20, 1 Samuel 12:21, 1 Samuel 12:22, 1 Samuel 12:23, 1 Samuel 12:24, 1 Samuel 12:25
Closing: Samuel’s final encouragement and warning
4 minFinish by reading Samuel’s closing words. He says he will keep praying and teaching, and he again calls the people to fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all their heart. He also gives a serious warning about continuing in evil. End by asking children to say the main teaching in one sentence.
1 Samuel 12:23, 1 Samuel 12:24, 1 Samuel 12:25
Questions to explore
Why does Samuel begin by asking whether he has taken anything or treated anyone wrongly?
Look at the words about defrauding, oppressing and taking a bribe, and notice how the people answer him publicly before Yahweh.
1 Samuel 12:3, 1 Samuel 12:4, 1 Samuel 12:5
What order do you see in Samuel’s retelling of Israel’s past?
Follow the sequence in the verses: Jacob came into Egypt, the fathers cried to Yahweh, Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, later the people forgot Yahweh, then they cried out again and Yahweh sent deliverers.
1 Samuel 12:8, 1 Samuel 12:9, 1 Samuel 12:10, 1 Samuel 12:11
After the people admit their evil, what does Samuel tell them to do next?
Notice that he does not tell them to give up. He tells them not to turn away, but to keep following and serving Yahweh with all their heart.
1 Samuel 12:19, 1 Samuel 12:20, 1 Samuel 12:24
Make, think or respond
Key Verse Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- Small pieces of card or paper
- Pencils or pens
- Coloured pencils or markers
- Bible text for reference
Try it together
- Read 1 Samuel 12:20, 1 Samuel 12:21, 1 Samuel 12:22, 1 Samuel 12:23, 1 Samuel 12:24 and 1 Samuel 12:25 together and let each child choose one key line from that part of the passage.
- Ask children to copy their chosen words onto a small card in large writing.
- Invite them to add a simple picture from the passage, such as a crown, rain cloud, heart or praying hands.
- Have each child say where they could place the card this week to remember Samuel’s message.
The card helps children remember Samuel’s central call to fear Yahweh, serve him truly and consider the great things he has done.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-write two short verse choices on a board and let them copy only one phrase, such as ‘serve Yahweh with all your heart’.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to compare the warning in 1 Samuel 12:15 with the encouragement in 1 Samuel 12:20 and explain both on the back of their card.
An optional closing prayer
‘Dear God, thank you for the great things you have done. Please help us listen to you, serve you with all our heart, and remember your words. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
4 They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
5 He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He is witness.”
6 Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 “When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
9 But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
12 “When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your God was your king.
13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.
14 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God.
15 But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 “Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes.
17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in asking for a king.”
18 So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
19 All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.”
20 Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.
21 Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.
22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.