VERSES: 2 Samuel 17:1-29 MEMORY VERSE: 2 Samuel 17:19 "And a woman took and spread a covering over the wel's mouth, and spread corn..." BOOK TO REMEMBER: 2 Samuel. Write "2 Samuel" on small slips of paper and pass out at the end of class. PRAYER: Thank God for giving us our food, our shelter, our families, and all of those things that we need. SPECIAL SONG: Read, Read Every Day (see February - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #1 on this blog) VISUAL AID: A large Activity (see below) LESSON POINTS: We remember that Ahithophel used to be King David's counselor, but now Ahithophel had left King David and was Absalom's side of the rebellion. Absalom had great regard for or listened very closely to Ahithophel's advice and had always trusted what he said was the right advice. Ahithophel had a reasonable plan. He advised Absalom that night to take 12,000 men chase after King David. Ahithophel said he would go with them and, while King David was tired and weary, he would go in and kill King David. He said then all the people would run away, but he would bring them all back to Absalom and then all would be peaceful. Absalom only wanted to kill David, not anyone else. Absalom and the elders of the people thought that this was a good plan until... Then, Absalom called for Hushai to come in to see what he would say. Hushai was still David's friend and was still loyal to King David, so he advised Absalom not to follow Ahithophel's advice, sayting that his advice was not good at that time. Hushai explained that King David and men who were with him were mighty soldiers and that David was not going to be surprised by the enemy. He said King David was a man of war and would not sleep with his people, but he would be hiding somewhere like a pit or a cave. He said that everyone knew that King David was a fighter and if some of Absalom's soldiers were killed at the beginning, then the other people that were in Absalom's camp would go back to David's side of the fight. So Hushai's advice was for all of Israel to go into battle with Absalom leading the army. What Hushai was actually doing was giving King David time. He knew that David was staying in the wilderness and was actually with his people instead of being alone, and knew that David needed to have time to get away. Hushai told all of this to David's friends, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, and instructed them to hurry and tell David not to stay where he was that night or else Absalom would swallow them up! Jonathan and Ahimaaz were in a little town, and the plan was that a young maid would go and tell the men what Hushai said, then the men were to hurry and go and tell David, but, before the men could tell David, a little boy saw the men and told Absalom. The two men ran to a courtyard where there was a well in the middle of a courtyard, and they climbed down into it to hide from Absalom's soldiers. By the well, there was a woman who put a cloth over the mouth of the well after the two men climbed down, and then she put grains of corn on top of the cloth pretending she was drying the corn, hiding the men. When the soldiers came and asked her where David's friends were, she told them that they had gone over the brook of water. The soldiers searched and searched, but when they could not find the men, they went back to Absalom. The men quickly got out of the well and went to warn King David. They had almost been caught! King David took Hushai's advice and quickly crossed over the Jordan River. God provided for David and all that were with him when a man named Shobi brought King David food and other things that made life easier for the king and his followers out in the wilderness. It is nice to have friends who will help us in our time of need. "Older Student" Tips: God always provides for His own just as He provided for David. David was still the LORD's anointed even though Absalom wanted to be the king. God's prophecies always come true. Part of the consequence of David's sin with Bathsheba was that the sword would never leave David's house (2 Samuel 11:10) and we can see through the pages of the Bible that God's Words were coming true. ACTIVITY: David's Friends Hiding In A Well Materials needed: a paper cup, 5" x 7" white paper, a small piece of cloth, drained and dried kernels of whole corn (they are edible, in case students eat the kernels!), permanent marker (that the Bible teacher may want to supervise the small students using) Hand out white paper. Draw Jonathan and Ahimaaz, so they will fit into the cup. Write the men's names on the back of their pictures. Hand out the cup. This is the well. Write "David's Friends Hiding In A Well" and "2 Samuel 17:18, 19" on the well. Place the men inside the cup. Drape the cloth over the top Scatter corn on top of the cloth. Not too many kernels, otherwise the cloth will fall into the well. When taking this project home, place all objects inside cup.