Judges 7:1-25

Gideon's 300 Bible lesson for kids

A complete Gideon's 300 lesson plan for Sunday school or homeschool — one version for each age band, from preschool to preteen. Pick the section that matches your kids and teach.

Jump to Ages 4–6Jump to Ages 6–9Jump to Ages 9–12

Preschool & Kindergarten

Ages 4–6

Objective

Children will understand that God helped Gideon and his small army when they trusted and obeyed him.

Opening question

Have you ever felt too small to do something hard?

Tell the story

Read Judges 7:1-25 together. Gideon had many soldiers, but God sent most of them home until only three hundred remained. The men carried trumpets, jars, and torches around the enemy camp. They obeyed Gideon, and God made the huge enemy army run away.

Hands-on activities

Torchlight Coloring

Materials: our free printable coloring page, crayons, yellow or orange tissue paper, glue

  1. Look at our free printable coloring page together.
  2. Find Gideon, the jars, the trumpets, and the torches.
  3. Color the picture.
  4. Tear small tissue paper flames.
  5. Glue the flames above the torches.
  6. Say, God helped the small army.

Trumpets, Jars, and Torches

Materials: paper cups, paper towel tubes, yellow paper

  1. Hold a paper cup like Gideon's jar.
  2. Hold yellow paper like a safe pretend torch.
  3. Lift the cup when the leader gives the signal.
  4. Make a trumpet sound through the tube.
  5. Stand tall and say, God gave the victory.
  6. Repeat slowly, then quickly.

Talk about it

  1. How many men stayed with Gideon?
  2. What did the men carry around the camp?
  3. Who helped Gideon's small army win?

Closing prayer

God, help us trust and obey you when we feel small.

Early Elementary

Ages 6–9

Objective

Children will explain that God reduced Gideon's army so Israel would know that the victory came from him.

Opening question

Would you feel brave if almost everyone on your team went home?

Tell the story

Read Judges 7:1-25 together. Gideon began with thirty-two thousand soldiers, but God said the army was too large because Israel might boast about saving itself. After two reductions, only three hundred men remained against an enemy army that looked as numerous as locusts. Gideon's men obeyed with trumpets, empty pitchers, and torches, and God threw the enemy camp into confusion.

Hands-on activities

Army That Kept Shrinking

Materials: 32 dry beans, 3 grains of rice, three paper labels, pencil

  1. Write 32,000, 10,000, and 300 on separate labels.
  2. Place all 32 beans beside 32,000.
  3. Move 22 beans away and leave 10 beside 10,000.
  4. Replace the 10 beans with 3 grains of rice beside 300.
  5. Compare the starting group with the final group.
  6. Explain why God did not want Israel to boast.

Victory Scene Coloring

Materials: our free printable coloring page, crayons or colored pencils, pencil

  1. Study our free printable coloring page.
  2. Color the hidden torches dark and the revealed flames bright.
  3. Circle each object Gideon's men carried.
  4. Write trust beside Gideon.
  5. Write obey beside the three hundred.
  6. Add Judges 7:7 near the small army.

Talk about it

  1. Why did God say Gideon's first army was too large?
  2. What did Gideon do after hearing the enemy soldier explain the dream?
  3. When might obeying God require courage from you?

Closing prayer

God, help us give you credit and obey you with courage.

Upper Elementary & Preteen

Ages 9–12

Objective

Students will connect Gideon's courage, worship, and obedience with trusting God when their own resources feel inadequate.

Opening question

Does having less help always mean you have less chance to succeed?

Tell the story

Read Judges 7:1-25 together. God reduced Gideon's army from thirty-two thousand men to three hundred so Israel could not claim that its own strength had produced the victory. God also met Gideon's fear by letting him hear an enemy describe a dream, and Gideon responded by worshiping. The three hundred followed an unusual plan with trumpets, empty pitchers, and torches, while God caused panic in the enormous enemy camp.

Hands-on activities

Limited Resources Challenge

Materials: 12 paper cups, 12 sheets of scrap paper, masking tape, timer

  1. Form two teams with unequal supplies.
  2. Give one team ten cups and the other team two cups.
  3. Challenge both teams to build a standing tower in three minutes.
  4. Let each team explain its choices.
  5. Discuss whether fewer resources changed effort, teamwork, or courage.
  6. Connect the challenge to God's reason for reducing Gideon's army.

Evidence of Faith Page

Materials: our free printable coloring page, colored pencils, pencil

  1. Examine our free printable coloring page.
  2. Color details that show the army looked weak in one color.
  3. Color details that show courageous obedience in another color.
  4. Write fear, worship, obedience, and God's action around the scene.
  5. Draw lines from each phrase to supporting details.
  6. Write one present-day situation where you need faithful courage.

Talk about it

  1. Why might God sometimes allow our resources or advantages to become smaller?
  2. What does Gideon's worship before the battle reveal about growing courage?
  3. How can you act faithfully at school or with friends without pretending you are never afraid?

Closing prayer

God, help us worship, obey, and trust your power when we feel afraid or unprepared.

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