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1 Samuel 16 · Preschool

David the Shepherd

Name Date

Color David with his sheep! God chose David to be king.

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

Bible Verse

Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

1 Samuel 16:11 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: David was the youngest, and he was out with the sheep. But God saw his heart. God sees your heart too.

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 16 · Kindergarten

God Sees the Heart

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace each word with your pencil.

HEART
SHEEP
OIL
DAVID
Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

1 Samuel 16:19 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each word to its picture.

HEART
SHEEP
OIL
LOOKS

Mini Maze

Help find the way through the maze.

Draw It

Draw what God sees when He looks at your heart.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What does God see when He looks at you?
  • Who is someone small that God can use?

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 16 · Grade 1

God Chose David

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace the words and the verse.

HEART
YOUNGEST
SHEEP
OIL
Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

1 Samuel 16:19 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each sentence to its picture.

Samuel went to Bethlehem.
God looks at the heart.
David was keeping the sheep.
Samuel poured oil on David.
David played music for Saul.

God Chooses David

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

Yahweh looks at the heart

Yahweh sends Samuel to Jesse

David plays for Saul

Samuel anoints David

Draw what God sees when He looks at your heart.

Memory Verse

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

1 Samuel 16:19 (WEB)

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why did God choose David?
  • What was David doing when Samuel came?
  • 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 16 · Grade 2

The Youngest Son

Name Date

Read the Story

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem. One of Jesse's sons would be king. Samuel saw the oldest son. He was tall. Samuel thought he was the one.

God said not to look at how tall he was. People look at the outside. God looks at the heart. Seven sons came by. God did not choose them.

The youngest son was out with the sheep. His name was David. Samuel poured oil on him. God's Spirit came on David. Later David played music for Saul to help him feel better.

Memory Verse

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

Show What You Know

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

  1. Where did God send Samuel?

    To BethlehemPlayed musicOut with the sheep

  2. What does God look at?

    SevenOut with the sheepThe heart

  3. How many sons came by first?

    SevenTo BethlehemPlayed music

  4. Where was David?

    Out with the sheepSevenTo Bethlehem

  5. What did David do for Saul?

    Played musicThe heartOut with the sheep

Word Search

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

OPJHEARTSDAHEWGEYHBANOSHSVESTVORSWCEDKWIINELPHBNBDNERNKADOILTAIRARLFMKEVVUHPHPBYD
  • ANOINTED
  • DAVID
  • JESSE
  • HEART
  • SHEEP
  • HORN
  • HARP
  • OIL

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why did Samuel think Eliab was the one?
  • How can you be kind to someone who is upset?

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 16 · Grade 3

Not as Man Sees

Name Date

Read the Story

The Lord asked Samuel how long he would mourn for Saul. He told Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to Jesse in Bethlehem, for He had chosen a king among Jesse's sons. Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to a sacrifice.

When Samuel saw Eliab, he thought surely this was the Lord's anointed. But the Lord said not to look on his face or his height. The Lord does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Seven sons passed by, and none was chosen.

The youngest was keeping the sheep. When David came in, the Lord said to arise and anoint him. Samuel anointed him among his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David. The Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit troubled him. David was brought to play the harp, and Saul was refreshed.

Memory Verse

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

Answer the Questions

  1. What did the Lord tell Samuel to fill?

  2. Who did Samuel think was the Lord's anointed?

  3. What does the Lord look at?

  4. What was David doing when Samuel came?

  5. How did David help Saul?

God Chooses David

Write what happened in each box.

1
2
3
4

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can you see what someone is like inside and not just outside?
  • Why do you think Jesse did not call David at first?

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 16 · Grade 4

The Lord Looks at the Heart

Name Date

Read and Think

Samuel was still grieving for Saul when the Lord sent him to Bethlehem. Because Samuel feared Saul, the Lord told him to take a heifer and invite Jesse to a sacrifice. The elders of the town trembled, but Samuel came in peace.

Jesse's sons passed before Samuel one by one. Eliab looked like a king, just as Saul had. But the Lord said He had rejected Eliab, because He does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. None of the seven sons was chosen.

David, the youngest, was out keeping the sheep. He was ruddy and handsome, but God chose him for his heart. Samuel anointed him, and the Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. Meanwhile Saul was troubled by an evil spirit, and David, skillful on the harp, became his musician and armor bearer.

Show What You Know

  1. Why did the Lord tell Samuel to take a heifer?

  2. Why was Eliab not chosen?

  3. When did the Spirit come on David?

  4. What two jobs did David have for Saul?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

anointedGodheartJesseDavid
  1. Because Samuel feared Saul, the Lord told him to take a heifer and invite to a sacrifice.
  2. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the .
  3. , the youngest, was out keeping the sheep.
  4. He was ruddy and handsome, but chose him for his heart.
  5. Samuel him, and the Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward.

Think About It

  1. How do people today judge others by outward appearance?

  2. What do you think God saw in David's heart?

Memory Verse

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How did God prepare David for being king?
  • How can you look at people's hearts instead of their looks?

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 16 · Grade 5

Chosen From the Sheepfold

Name Date

Read and Think

The Lord gently rebuked Samuel for mourning over Saul and sent him to Bethlehem with a horn of oil. Samuel feared Saul's anger, so God provided a heifer and the setting of a sacrifice. Jesse and his sons were sanctified and invited.

As Jesse's sons passed by, Samuel was impressed by Eliab, much as Israel had been impressed by Saul's height. The Lord corrected him: Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart. Seven sons were passed over. Only when Samuel asked did Jesse mention the youngest, who was keeping the sheep. Even his father had not thought to call him.

David was brought in, and the Lord said, Arise! Anoint him, for this is he. Samuel anointed him in the middle of his brothers, and Yahweh's Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. At the same time, the Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. In God's providence, Saul's servants recommended David, a skillful harpist of whom they said, Yahweh is with him. The anointed shepherd now served in the court of the rejected king.

Show What You Know

  1. Why was Samuel impressed by Eliab?

  2. What does the fact that Jesse did not call David show?

  3. What happened to Saul when the Spirit came on David?

  4. Where did the anointed shepherd end up serving?

Crossword

4321

Across

  1. David's father from Bethlehem (16:1)
  2. David played the ____ for Saul (16:23).
  3. Yahweh looks at the ____ (16:7).

Down

  1. David was keeping the ____ (16:11).
  2. Samuel took the ____ of oil (16:13).

Think About It

  1. Have you ever felt overlooked? How does David's story encourage you?

  2. How can you practice looking at others' hearts instead of their appearance?

Memory Verse

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for looking at my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What is ironic about David serving in Saul's court?
  • Why does God often choose people others overlook?
  • 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.