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1 Samuel 13 · Preschool

Waiting for Samuel

Name Date

Color the altar! Saul did not wait for Samuel the way God wanted.

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

Bible Verse

“He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.”

1 Samuel 13:8 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: Waiting is hard! Saul was scared and did not wait. God helps us obey even when it is hard to wait.

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 Samuel 13 · Kindergarten

Obey God

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace each word with your pencil.

WAIT
SEVEN
DAYS
OBEY
Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.

1 Samuel 13:9 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each word to its picture.

ALTAR
FIRE
SAUL
HEART

Mini Maze

Help find the way through the maze.

Draw It

Draw yourself waiting patiently.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Is it hard for you to wait?
  • How can you obey when you feel scared?

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 Samuel 13 · Grade 1

Saul Did Not Wait

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace the words and the verse.

WAITED
SEVEN
ALTAR
HEART
Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.

1 Samuel 13:9 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each sentence to its picture.

The people were afraid.
Some hid in caves and rocks.
Saul waited seven days.
Saul made the offering.
Then Samuel came.

Saul Does Not Wait

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

Saul offers the burnt offering

God seeks a man after His heart

Saul waits seven days

The Philistines gather to fight

Draw yourself waiting patiently.

Memory Verse

“Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.”

1 Samuel 13:9 (WEB)

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What can you do when you feel afraid?
  • What did Saul do when Samuel was late?
  • 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 Samuel 13 · Grade 2

Too Soon

Name Date

Read the Story

The Philistines came to fight. They had many chariots and men. The men of Israel were afraid. They hid in caves and in rocks.

Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days. Then Samuel would come and make an offering. Saul waited. Samuel did not come yet. The people were leaving. So Saul made the offering himself.

Just then Samuel came! He said Saul had been foolish. Saul did not keep God's command. God would find a man after His own heart to lead.

Memory Verse

“He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.”

1 Samuel 13:8 (WEB)

Show What You Know

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

  1. Where did the men of Israel hide?

  2. How long was Saul told to wait?

    Seven daysSamuelMade the offering

  3. What did Saul do himself?

    A man after His own heartMade the offeringSamuel

  4. Who came just then?

    A man after His own heartMade the offeringSamuel

  5. What kind of man would God find?

Word Search

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

HPSSOFRSKGNTHFOREIITAEFOOVNLKYAELBEGGCERRIRNDALDTISNKOLLYFNHARMDNTRGLIURISBNMYNRL
  • FOOLISHLY
  • OFFERING
  • KINGDOM
  • STAYED
  • GILGAL
  • SEVEN
  • HEART
  • SAUL

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why is it hard to wait when you feel scared?
  • What can you do while you wait for something?

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 Samuel 13 · Grade 3

A Man After God's Heart

Name Date

Read the Story

Jonathan struck the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines gathered with thirty thousand chariots. Their people were as many as the sand. The men of Israel hid in caves, thickets, rocks, and pits. Some crossed the Jordan, and those with Saul followed him trembling.

Saul waited seven days, as Samuel had set. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal. The people scattered. Saul called for the burnt offering and offered it. As soon as he finished, Samuel came. Saul said he saw the people scattering and forced himself to offer it.

Samuel said Saul had done foolishly and had not kept the Lord's commandment. Now his kingdom would not continue. The Lord had sought a man after His own heart. In those days there was no smith in all Israel, and only Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear.

Memory Verse

But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.”

1 Samuel 13:14 (WEB)

Answer the Questions

  1. What garrison did Jonathan strike?

  2. Where did the men of Israel hide?

  3. What did Saul do when Samuel did not come?

  4. What did Samuel say about Saul's kingdom?

  5. Who had a sword or spear?

Saul Does Not Wait

Write what happened in each box.

1
2
3
4

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why did Saul give excuses?
  • Why do you think God wanted Saul to wait?

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 Samuel 13 · Grade 4

Fear Instead of Faith

Name Date

Read and Think

Saul's army had shrunk to six hundred men. The Philistines had a vast army, and Israel's men hid in caves and pits. The Philistines even controlled metalwork, so Israelites had to go to them to sharpen their tools. Israel had few weapons.

Samuel had told Saul to wait at Gilgal seven days. On the seventh day, with Samuel not yet there and the people slipping away, Saul offered the burnt offering himself. He trusted the ritual more than the word of the Lord through His prophet.

Samuel arrived as Saul finished. Saul made excuses: the people were scattering, Samuel was late, and the Philistines were gathering. Samuel said Saul had acted foolishly. Because he did not keep the Lord's commandment, his kingdom would not continue. The Lord had found a man after His own heart.

Show What You Know

  1. How did the Philistines control Israel's tools?

  2. What did Saul trust more than the word of the Lord?

  3. What excuses did Saul give?

  4. What kind of man had the Lord found?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

heartfoolishlyofferingSaul
  1. Samuel had told to wait at Gilgal seven days.
  2. On the seventh day, with Samuel not yet there and the people slipping away, Saul offered the burnt himself.
  3. Samuel said Saul had acted .
  4. The Lord had found a man after His own .

Think About It

  1. When is it hardest for you to wait on God?

  2. Saul made excuses instead of admitting he was wrong. Why is it hard to admit when we are wrong?

Memory Verse

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:13 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How did fear lead Saul to disobey?
  • What does a heart after God look like?

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 Samuel 13 · Grade 5

The Seventh Day

Name Date

Read and Think

Saul's reign quickly faced a crisis. After Jonathan struck the garrison at Geba, the Philistines assembled chariots, horsemen, and people as many as the sand on the seashore. Israel's soldiers hid in caves, thickets, rocks, cellars, and pits, and many fled across the Jordan. The Philistines also prevented any smith in Israel, so only Saul and Jonathan had sword or spear.

Samuel had appointed seven days for Saul to wait at Gilgal, as he had said in 10:8. The command tested whether Israel's king would rule under God's word. As the deadline neared and his army melted away, Saul ordered the burnt offering and offered it himself. He saw the sacrifice as a way to secure God's favor before battle, rather than as an act of obedience.

Samuel arrived as the offering ended. Saul greeted him and listed his reasons, ending with the claim that he forced himself. Samuel's verdict was stark: you have done foolishly. Had Saul obeyed, the Lord would have established his kingdom forever. Now Yahweh had sought for himself a man after his own heart. The problem was not merely timing but a heart that trusted circumstances over God's word.

Show What You Know

  1. What did the command to wait test?

  2. How did Saul see the sacrifice?

  3. What would the Lord have done had Saul obeyed?

  4. What was the deeper problem?

Crossword

23145

Across

  1. Saul's ____ would not continue (13:14).
  2. Yahweh sought a man after his own ____ (13:14).
  3. Saul waited ____ days (13:8).

Down

  1. Where Saul waited for Samuel (13:8)
  2. Saul offered the burnt ____ (13:9).

Think About It

  1. How can religious activity become a way to try to control God?

  2. What does it mean to be a person after God's own heart?

Memory Verse

But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.”

1 Samuel 13:14 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me wait. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why was Saul's act more than a timing problem?
  • How can you trust God's word when circumstances look bad?
  • 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.