You Are the Man: Nathan's Story for King David
2 Samuel 12:1-13; 2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-12; 1 John 1:9 Old Testament PrincipleRepentance
King David did terrible things. He took another man's wife, Bathsheba, and had her husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then he tried to hide it. But God saw, and He sent the prophet Nathan to David with a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David was furious – "The man who did this deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David stopped hiding. "I have sinned against the LORD," he said. And Nathan answered, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die." Repentance means agreeing with God about our sin and turning back to Him, because He is ready to forgive.
Repentance is telling God the truth about our sin and turning back to Him. God sent Nathan to bring David out of hiding, and when David confessed, God took his sin away. God is faithful to forgive everyone who comes back to Him through Jesus.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 BSB
Christ Connection · The gospel
David deserved to die, and he said so. God said, "You will not die." How could God be fair and still forgive? The answer is the cross: "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf." Jesus, the Son of David, took the death we deserve so that our sin can be taken away.
Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 53:6
The Big Story · Redemption
Sin breaks everything, even the heart of a king who loved God. But God doesn't leave sinners hiding. He comes after them, tells them the truth and takes their sin away, and He did it fully through Jesus, the Son of David, who died for our sins.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: Hide the lamb
- Bible Kitchen (taste the story): Whiter than snow
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: You are the one
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
God forgives me when I'm sorry.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Find the lamb, Color the little lamb
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with brothers and sisters
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
King David did something terrible. He took another man's wife and had her husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then he tried to hide it. But God saw. God sent the prophet Nathan to tell David a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David was angry – "That man deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David said, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan said, "The LORD has taken away your sin." To repent means we tell God the truth and turn back to Him, and God forgives.
Memory verse
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”
Adapted from 1 John 1:9
Start here
Do the "Hide the lamb" object lesson. Ask, "Why do people hide when they do something wrong?" Let kids share. Say, "Today a king tried to hide, and God sent someone to find him."
Bible story 6 min
David was the king of Israel. God had made him king and given him so much. But one day David did something terrible.
He wanted a woman named Bathsheba. But she was married to a soldier named Uriah. So David took her, and he made a plan so Uriah was killed in battle. Then David married Bathsheba. He tried to hide what he had done.
But God saw it all. And God loved David too much to leave him hiding. So God sent the prophet Nathan to David.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Nathan's story 10 min
You’ll need: A small stuffed lamb or a picture of a lamb
- Choose a narrator, David, Nathan, the rich man and the poor man. Make a paper crown for David.
- Act out the skit. David takes off his crown when he says, "I have sinned."
- Switch parts so more kids get a turn.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
King David took Bathsheba, the wife of his soldier Uriah, and had Uriah killed in battle. Then he covered it up. But "the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD," so God sent the prophet Nathan. Nathan told a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David burned with anger – "The man who did this deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David confessed, "I have sinned against the LORD," and Nathan answered, "The LORD has taken away your sin." To repent is to agree with God about our sin and turn back to Him, trusting His promise to forgive.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Hiding or confessing?, You are the one
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: with friends, online and on screens, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
David, the king God had raised up and blessed, took Bathsheba, another man's wife, and arranged the death of her husband, Uriah, then covered it up for months. But God saw, and He sent Nathan. Through a parable about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb, Nathan let David pronounce his own verdict – "The man who did this deserves to die!" – then said, "You are that man!" David confessed without excuse, "I have sinned against the LORD," and heard, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die." Repentance agrees with God's verdict on our sin and turns back to Him, trusting that through Jesus, He is faithful and just to forgive.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Anatomy of repentance, Out of hiding
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: with friends, online and on screens, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Repentance
The same principle in other Bible stories.
The Golden CalfExodus 32:1-35; Exodus 34:1-8While Moses was on Mount Sinai with God, the people grew tired of waiting. They made a golden calf and worshiped it. God was angry, but Moses prayed for the people, and God showed mercy. When we sin, we don't make excuses. We repent, turn back to God and tell Him the truth, and He forgives.Old TestamentRepentance
With Building BricksJonah and Nineveh: RepentanceJonah 1–3; Acts 3:19; Matthew 12:41God told Jonah to go to the big, wicked city of Nineveh. But Jonah ran the other way! God sent a storm, and Jonah was thrown into the sea. God sent a huge fish to swallow him. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed and turned back to God. The fish spit him out on dry land. Then God gave Jonah a second chance. Jonah went to Nineveh and gave a very short message. "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!" The whole city believed God. From the king to the cows, they turned from their evil ways, and God showed them mercy. Repentance means turning away from sin and back to God.Old TestamentRepentance
Jesus the KingJesus and ZacchaeusLuke 19:1-10; Exodus 22:1Zacchaeus, a cheating tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus. Jesus called him by name and came to his house, and Zacchaeus turned from his sin and made things right.New TestamentRepentance
The Rooster Crows: Peter Denies JesusLuke 22:31-34; Luke 22:54-62At the Last Supper, Peter said he would never leave Jesus. But Jesus said that before the rooster crowed, Peter would say three times that he didn't know Him. Jesus also said, "I have prayed for you." That night, Jesus was arrested. By a fire in the high priest's courtyard, Peter said three times, "I don't know Him!" The rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter went out and cried hard. But Jesus had already prayed for him. Peter turned back, and Jesus forgave him.New TestamentRepentance
The Church BeginsSaul Meets JesusActs 9:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17Saul was trying to hurt Jesus' followers. But on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus stopped him with a bright light and spoke to him. Saul turned around, followed Jesus, and became one of His greatest messengers.New TestamentRepentance