Come, Follow Me · Week 26 · June 22–28

2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11

This Week's Reading

This week's reading from 2 Samuel and 1 Kings presents a powerful contrast between human failure and divine grace, followed by the rise of Solomon's wisdom and the construction of the Lord's house. We see King David commit grave sins that bring judgment upon his family, yet he repents sincerely and receives forgiveness from the Lord. The narrative then shifts to Solomon, who asks for wisdom rather than wealth or power, receiving a heart to discern good from evil. Finally, we read about the building of the temple in Jerusalem, a sacred place prepared for God's presence among His people. These stories teach us that while we all stumble, Christ is our refuge and strength; He invites us to seek His wisdom above all else and to build our lives upon the foundation of His commandments.

Key Passages

2 Samuel 12:13 teaches that even when we sin deeply, if we confess with a broken heart, the Lord can put away our sin and restore us to Him.
1 Kings 3:9–10 shows that Solomon asked only for an understanding heart to judge God's people, and because he did not ask for selfish gain, the Lord gave him wisdom beyond measure.
1 Kings 6:7 describes how the temple was built of stone prepared beforehand so that no iron tool was heard, symbolizing a holy work done with reverence and care.
1 Kings 11:4–6 warns us that even great leaders can turn away from the Lord if they are not careful, reminding us to guard our hearts against idolatry and worldly influences.

Questions to Ponder

How does David’s repentance in 2 Samuel 12:13 encourage you when you feel guilty about your own mistakes?
In what ways might you be tempted to ask for things like Solomon did, but instead choose to ask for wisdom and understanding?
What does the careful preparation of the temple materials teach us about how we should approach our own spiritual growth and service?
How can you protect your heart from turning away from the Lord, even when facing pressures or temptations like Solomon faced?

A Thought to Take Home

Though David failed greatly, he found mercy through Christ, who forgives all who truly repent. Solomon’s request for wisdom reminds us that the greatest gift we can seek is a heart attuned to God’s will. As we build our lives on faith and follow the Savior, may we always choose humility over pride and love over self-interest.

Further study 2 Samuel 12:7–13, 1 Kings 3:5–14, 1 Kings 6:1–10, 1 Kings 11:4–6

Teaching this week?

Get a complete lesson plan for adults, youth, Primary or your family: opening, discussion questions, activity and a testimony prompt, ready to print.

Prepare my lesson

This guide was prepared with AI from the scriptures and checked against the text; it can still make mistakes. For the Church's own guidance, read the official Come, Follow Me manual for this week. Nephite Atlas is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Key passages

2 Samuel 11:4–6

⁴And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. ⁵And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. ⁶And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 12:7–13

⁷And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; ⁸And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. ⁹Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ¹⁰Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. ¹¹Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. ¹²For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. ¹³And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

1 Kings 3:5–14

⁵In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. ⁶And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. ⁷And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. ⁸And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. ⁹Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? ¹⁰And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; ¹²Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. ¹³And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. ¹⁴And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

1 Kings 6:1–10

¹And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. ²And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits. ³And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house. ⁴And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. ⁵And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about: ⁶The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house. ⁷And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. ⁸The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. ⁹So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar. ¹⁰And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

1 Kings 11:4–6

⁴For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. ⁵For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. ⁶And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.