Lesson

Deborah Sunday School Lesson for Kids

A free Deborah and Barak Sunday school lesson (Judges 4) in four age levels, preschool to preteen, with a game, Bible story, memory verse and a take-home sheet.

Preschool–Grade 6

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Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.

Ages: Preschool (3–5), Early Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5), Preteen (5–6)
Time: 20–60 minutes (depends on the age level)
Scripture: Judges 4:1–24
Bible story: Deborah and Barak

What you need

A Bible (mark Judges 4:5, Judges 4:8 and Judges 4:14)
Bibles for the kids to look up verses (3rd grade and up)
7 paper strips, a marker and tape (memory verse game, kindergarten to 2nd grade)
A few chairs, pillows or boxes for an obstacle path (kindergarten to 2nd grade)
A whiteboard or large paper and a marker (3rd grade and up)
Paper and pencils (preteens)
Printed take-home sheets, one per child
Printed Deborah word search and crayons for early finishers

This free Deborah Sunday school lesson teaches kids that God goes before us, so we can obey Him with courage. Deborah, "a prophetess," judged Israel under the palm tree of Deborah (Judges 4:4–5). She told Barak what the LORD commanded, went with him, and said on the day of battle, "is not the LORD gone out before thee?" (4:14). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a palm tree game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("is not the LORD gone out before thee?") with a motion, and a drawing activity.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the I'll Go First game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the March Up the Mountain verse game with seven paper strips, and an Up to Mount Tabor game.
3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: a guide game, kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (the 900 chariots of iron, Deborah under the palm tree, Barak's answer, the LORD going out before him, and the song of praise), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Judges 4:1–16 out loud themselves, then discuss crying out to God, obeying when you are afraid, Barak among the people of faith (Hebrews 11:32), and what people count on instead of God. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Judges 4:14 and Deuteronomy 31:8).

Lesson at a glance

Bible passage: Judges 4:1–24
Main point: God goes before us, so we can obey Him with courage.
Memory verse: Judges 4:14 (KJV), with Deuteronomy 31:8 added for preteens
Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

Opening game: a short game about following someone who goes first.
Bible story: Israel cries to the LORD (Judges 4:3), Deborah judges under the palm tree (4:4–5), she calls Barak to mount Tabor (4:6–7), "I will surely go with thee" (4:9), "is not the LORD gone out before thee?" (4:14), and the LORD defeats Sisera and his chariots (4:15, 4:23). Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn Judges 4:14.
What this means for us: God goes before us, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
Activity: the word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the Deborah craft, a march-up-the-mountain game, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
Prayer.

Tips for teaching Deborah

Read Judges 4:14 straight from your Bible. The heart of the story is "is not the LORD gone out before thee?"
The battle is told gently. Younger lessons say only that Sisera died in Jael's tent (Judges 4:22); each lesson has a short note for the teacher.
Deborah has no sword, armor or crown in Judges 4. The lessons tell her story just as the Bible does.
Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.

Frequently asked questions

How long does this Deborah lesson take?

It depends on the age level. The preschool lesson takes 20 to 30 minutes, the kindergarten to 2nd grade lesson about 45 minutes, and the 3rd to 5th grade and preteen lessons 45 to 60 minutes. For a short class, do the story, three questions and the memory verse.

What is the main point of the story of Deborah for kids?

God goes before His people, so we can obey Him with courage. Deborah told Barak what the LORD commanded, and on the day of the battle she said, "is not the LORD gone out before thee?" (Judges 4:14). The LORD gave Israel the victory over Sisera and his nine hundred chariots of iron (4:15, 4:23).

Who was Deborah in the Bible?

Deborah was "a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth," and "she judged Israel at that time" (Judges 4:4). She dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment (4:5). She called Barak to obey the LORD and went with him to the battle (4:6–10).

How does this lesson handle Sisera's death?

Gently. The younger lessons say only that Sisera hid in the tent of a woman named Jael and died there (Judges 4:17, 4:22), just as Deborah said, "the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" (4:9). How he died (4:21) is left out for young children, with a note for the teacher.