Judges 21
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
The people of Israel sat down. They sat at a place called Bethel. It was almost dark.
They cried. Not just a little. They cried very loud. Big tears, warm on their cheeks.
Why did they cry? One family was almost gone. The family of Benjamin. Almost no one was left.
"Why did this happen?" they asked God. Their voices went up into the sky.
The next morning, the sun came up. The people got up early. They built an altar from stones. They gave gifts to God on it. Smoke went up, up, into the blue sky.
Still, the family of Benjamin had no wives. No children could be born. The family could disappear forever. Just like a candle going out.
The people were sad about that. Very sad. "One whole family," they said. "Gone from Israel."
What Does This Mean?
The people wanted the family of Benjamin to stay. They did not want to forget them.
So they looked for a way. A way for Benjamin to have a family again. A way so the name Benjamin would not disappear.
It took a long time. It was hard. The people had made a promise, and promises are heavy. But they kept searching for a way.
In the end, the men of Benjamin got wives. They went home again. Home, to their own land. They built houses there. Real houses, with roofs and doors.
The family of Benjamin did not disappear. It stayed.
The Common Thread
God saw the tears at Bethel. He heard the crying.
Long, long ago, God had promised something. He said: my people will not disappear. Not one family. Not one single one.
That is what happened here too. Benjamin almost vanished. But it did not happen. The family stayed part of Israel.
God keeps His people close. Even when everything is difficult. Even when people make mistakes. He does not let anyone just disappear.
For You
Have you ever been sad? So sad that you cried?
You may cry. Loudly, even. God hears you, just as He heard the people at Bethel.
And you belong somewhere too. In your family. God knows your name. He does not forget you. Not ever.
Talk About It
Why did the people cry at Bethel?
What do you do when you are very sad?
Praying Together
Dear God, Thank You that You hear me when I cry. Thank You that I belong to my family. You do not forget me. Amen.
Questions about Judges 21
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Judges 21 about?
What does Judges 21 say?
What does Judges 21 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Judges 21?
Why is Judges 21 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
Go and lie in wait in the vineyards," the elders said. These were Israel's leaders, fixing a crisis they had caused with a rash vow, and their fix was to hide men in the vineyards and seize girls at a festival. Sin patched over with sin. A place of dancing turned into an ambush. Where in your life are you solving a problem in a way that costs someone else everything?
Looking for something for slightly older children?
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