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1 Chronicles 21 · Preschool

God's Great Mercy

Name Date

Color the altar. David said sorry, and God showed mercy.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

David said to Gad, “I am in distress. Let me fall, I pray, into Yahweh’s hand, for his mercies are very great. Don’t let me fall into man’s hand.”

1 Chronicles 21:13 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: David did wrong and said sorry to God. God is full of mercy. We can tell God we are sorry.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Kindergarten

Sorry

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace each word with your pencil.

SORRY
MERCY
ALTAR
GOD
David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in Yahweh’s name.

1 Chronicles 21:19 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each word to its picture.

ALTAR
FIRE
WHEAT
GOLD

Mini Maze

Help find the way through the maze.

Draw It

Draw an altar.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What should you do when you do something wrong?
  • How does it feel to say sorry?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Grade 1

God Answered

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace the words and the verse.

SORRY
MERCY
ALTAR
FIRE
David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in Yahweh’s name.

1 Chronicles 21:19 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each sentence to its picture.

David counted the people.
David said he was sorry.
David paid for the land.
He built an altar.
God answered with fire.

David's Census and God's Mercy

Write the number 1 to 4 in each circle to show the right order.

Don’t let me fall into man’s hand

I have sinned greatly

David went up at the saying of Gad

David built an altar to Yahweh there

Draw an altar.

Memory Verse

“David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in Yahweh’s name.”

1 Chronicles 21:19 (WEB)

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What did David do that was wrong?
  • How did God answer David's offering?
  • What would you like to say to God about this chapter?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Grade 2

David Says Sorry

Name Date

Read the Story

David wanted to count all his people. That was wrong. God was not pleased.

David told God, I have sinned. Trouble came on the people. David asked God to stop it. God is full of mercy.

David bought a place to build an altar. He paid the full price. He gave gifts to God. God answered him with fire from the sky.

Memory Verse

David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

1 Chronicles 21:8 (WEB)

Show What You Know

Circle the right answer, or write it on the lines.

  1. What did David want to count?

    NoAll his peopleI have sinned

  2. Was God pleased?

    With fire from the skyThe full priceNo

  3. What did David tell God?

    I have sinnedNoThe full price

  4. How much did David pay for the place?

    I have sinnedAll his peopleThe full price

  5. How did God answer?

Word Search

Find and circle each word. Words go across and down.

IDAVIDAKPMSIYAHWEHGVRPJOABSBKKAORNANGKIVEENYSPPEOPLETDTHRESHINGGBONYCIUOANGELUBJA
  • THRESHING
  • YAHWEH
  • ISRAEL
  • PEOPLE
  • DAVID
  • ORNAN
  • ANGEL
  • JOAB

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can you say sorry to God when you do wrong?
  • Why did David trust God's mercy?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Grade 3

Into God's Hand

Name Date

Read the Story

The enemy Satan moved David to count Israel. Joab said it was wrong, but David made him do it. God was displeased, and David said he had sinned greatly.

God let David choose how he would be corrected. David chose to fall into Yahweh's hand, because His mercies are very great. Trouble came on Israel. David asked God to let it be on him instead of the people, his sheep.

God told David to build an altar on Ornan's threshing floor. Ornan wanted to give it for free. But David said he would not offer a gift that cost him nothing. He paid for it and built the altar, and God answered by fire.

Memory Verse

David said to Gad, “I am in distress. Let me fall, I pray, into Yahweh’s hand, for his mercies are very great. Don’t let me fall into man’s hand.”

1 Chronicles 21:13 (WEB)

Answer the Questions

  1. Who said counting Israel was wrong?

  2. What did David say to God?

  3. Why did David want to fall into Yahweh's hand?

  4. What did Ornan want to do?

  5. Why did David pay?

David's Census and God's Mercy

Write what happened in each box.

1
2
3
4

Word Search

Find each word. Words go across, down, and diagonally.

UTFISRAELVYVKOWCSATHRESHINGPMOEJYAUCEMRDEAAYJOVNAYHNGOPMAVDWGGALJNISEEUBETLDYHLGM
  • THRESHING
  • YAHWEH
  • ISRAEL
  • PEOPLE
  • DAVID
  • ORNAN
  • ANGEL
  • JOAB

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What does mercy mean?
  • How can you take blame when you do wrong?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Grade 4

An Offering That Cost Something

Name Date

Read and Think

Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to take a census. Joab protested that it would bring guilt, but the king's word prevailed. God was displeased, and David said he had sinned greatly and done very foolishly, and asked God to put away his iniquity.

Through Gad the seer, God offered three choices. David answered that he was in distress, but let him fall into Yahweh's hand, for his mercies are very great. A plague came on Israel, and many people died. David saw the angel and begged God to let his hand be against him and his father's house, not against the people.

Yahweh's angel commanded Gad to tell David to raise an altar on Ornan's threshing floor. Ornan offered it all for free, but David insisted on paying the full price. He would not offer to Yahweh a burnt offering that cost him nothing (21:24). Yahweh answered him from the sky by fire on the altar, and the angel put his sword away.

Show What You Know

  1. Who moved David to take a census?

  2. What did David ask God to put away?

  3. Why did David choose to fall into Yahweh's hand?

  4. Where did David build the altar?

  5. How did Yahweh answer David?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

IsraelDavidYahwehOrnanGod
  1. Satan stood up against Israel and moved to take a census.
  2. was displeased, and David said he had sinned greatly and done very foolishly, and asked God to put away his iniquity.
  3. A plague came on , and many people died.
  4. offered it all for free, but David insisted on paying the full price.
  5. He would not offer to a burnt offering that cost him nothing (21:24).

Think About It

  1. David confessed right away and took the blame. How can you take responsibility when you do wrong?

  2. David would not give God something that cost him nothing. What would it mean for your worship to cost you something?

Memory Verse

David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

1 Chronicles 21:8 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can God bring good out of a sad day?
  • How can you protect or care for people who are hurting?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

1 Chronicles 21 · Grade 5

Mercy at the Threshing Floor

Name Date

Read and Think

The census began with temptation: Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number the people. Even Joab saw the danger and asked why David would bring guilt on Israel. David insisted, and God was displeased. David then confessed that he had sinned greatly and acted very foolishly.

Offered three kinds of judgment, David chose to fall into the hand of Yahweh, for his mercies are very great, rather than into the hand of men. A plague swept Israel, and many died. When David saw the angel, he prayed like a shepherd: he had sinned, but what had the sheep done? Let the punishment fall on him and his house.

God sent David to Ornan's threshing floor. David bought it for full price, saying he would not offer a burnt offering that cost him nothing. He built an altar, and God answered by fire from heaven. Chapter 22 reveals that this very place would become the site of the temple. The place of judgment became the place of mercy and sacrifice.

Show What You Know

  1. What did Joab ask David?

  2. What did David choose, and why?

  3. How did David pray like a shepherd?

  4. How did God show he accepted the offering?

  5. What would this place become?

Crossword

43152

Across

  1. Why will he be a cause of guilt to ____
  2. And saw Yahweh’s ____ standing between earth and the sky

Down

  1. David built an altar to ____ there
  2. And moved ____ to take a census of Israel
  3. ____ turned back and saw the angel

Think About It

  1. David trusted God's mercy more than man's. How does knowing God is merciful help you come to Him after you sin?

  2. David offered to take the punishment for his people. In the New Testament, Jesus truly did take our punishment (1 Peter 2:24). How does that move you to thank Him?

Memory Verse

“David built an altar to Yahweh there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on Yahweh; and he answered him from the sky by fire on the altar of burnt offering.”

1 Chronicles 21:26 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your mercy. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What does it mean for worship to cost you something?
  • How does 1 Peter 2:24 in the New Testament connect to David's prayer?
  • What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.