Week 287 · Old Testament · about 2 minutes · 313 words
💧 1 Samuel 11
1 Samuel 11 opens with these words: “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us,…” The line to keep is 1 Samuel 11:3: “The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we…” Carry the word “elders” from that verse into the rest of the day.
1 Samuel 11 is a real chapter from the Old Testament. It starts, “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”” That is not a motto invented for a poster. It is the first sentence a family hears when this page is opened at night.
Keep going a little further. The chapter also says, “He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.” 1 Samuel 11 opens with these words: “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us,…” The line to keep is 1 Samuel 11:3: “The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we…” Carry the word “elders” from that verse into the rest of the day.
The line worth learning out loud is 1 Samuel 11:3: “The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”” If the rest of the chapter feels crowded, hold that one sentence until the room is quiet.
What happens first in 1 Samuel 11? Then try this: Read “The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of…” once more. What does it show you about God? You do not have to finish every verse. You can close the book after the memory verse and still have read the Bible together.
“The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.””
1 Samuel 11:3 · 1 Samuel 11
Say it
Practice 1 Samuel 11:3
Tap the words in order. The blanks follow the verse from left to right.
TheofJabeshsaidtohim,“Giveussevendays,thatwemaysendmessengerstoallthebordersofIsrael;andthen,ifisnoonetosaveus,wecomeouttoyou.”
Talk about it
- What happens first in 1 Samuel 11?
- Read “The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of…” once more. What does it show you about God?
- Who can you tell one sentence from 1 Samuel 11 before bedtime?
Prayer
Father, thank you for 1 Samuel 11. Help us remember 1 Samuel 11:3 when we wake up, and teach us to notice you in an ordinary night. Amen.
Parent tip
If 1 Samuel 11 is long, read 1 Samuel 11:3 twice and ask one of the talk-about questions. The chapter page has every verse if you want more tomorrow.
Week 287 · the whole night
💧 1 Samuel 11
Story, coloring page, word search, and the verse to trace.
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