This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Samuel 16:14-23, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
A long, long time ago, there was a man named Saul who was the king of Israel. But one day, God’s Spirit left Saul and he was tormented by an evil spirit. Saul’s helpers said to him, “We need to find someone who can play music to make you feel better.” They went looking for a good musician and found a young man named David who lived in a town called Bethlehem.
David was really good at playing the lyre, a kind of instrument like a small harp. He was also very brave and smart, and God was with him. So, Saul’s helpers went to David’s father, Jesse, and asked him to send David to play music for Saul.
Jesse sent David to Saul with some bread, wine, and a young goat as a gift. When David arrived, Saul liked him right away and made him his helper. Whenever the evil spirit came to torment Saul, David played his lyre to calm him down. Saul was happy and the evil spirit left him alone.
Saul was so happy with David that he asked Jesse if David could stay and work for him all the time. Jesse agreed, and David became a trusted helper of Saul. So whenever David played his music, Saul felt better and the bad spirit went away.
Biblical Lessons
- God can use our talents to help others.
- We should help people who are suffering, even if they are our enemies.
- God can work in mysterious ways, using unexpected people or situations to accomplish His purposes.