Exodus 31 records God choosing Bezalel and Oholiab to build the tabernacle and then giving Moses the command to keep the Sabbath. These questions suit a small group, a Sunday class, or a personal study of the chapter, and they are arranged so a leader can use them without a separate summary.
Exodus 31 at a Glance
The chapter opens with God naming Bezalel and filling him with the Spirit for skilled craftsmanship, then appointing Oholiab to work alongside him. God then lists the furnishings of the tent of meeting, from the ark to the anointing oil, and says everything must be made exactly as commanded.
From verse 12 the focus shifts to the Sabbath. God tells Moses to instruct Israel to keep it as a sign of the covenant, grounded in the rest of creation, and the chapter ends with Moses receiving the two tablets of the testimony on Sinai.
Observation Questions
Use these first to slow the group down and anchor everyone in the words on the page before anyone offers an opinion. Let people answer from the text itself and point to the verse they are reading from.
Exodus 31:1-3
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship…
(WEB)
Reading the call of Bezalel aloud sets the tone for the whole chapter. It shows God choosing a named person and equipping him by the Spirit, which invites the group to think about how God calls people today.
Exodus 31:6
Behold, I myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you…
(WEB)
This verse widens the circle from one craftsman to all the wise-hearted. Reading it aloud helps the group see the community dimension of the work.
Exodus 31:7-11
7 The Tent of Meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent, 8 the table and its vessels, the pure lamp stand with all its vessels, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base, 10 the finely worked garments—the holy garments for Aaron the priest—the garments of his sons to minister in the priest’s office, 11 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”
(WEB)
Hearing the full list of sanctuary furnishings gives weight to the phrase “according to all that I have commanded you.” Read it together so the group feels the care God puts into holy things.
Exodus 31:13
“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
(WEB)
The Sabbath is introduced here as a sign that God sanctifies his people. Reading this verse aloud anchors the rest of the chapter’s instructions in the identity of God’s people.
Exodus 31:17-18
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’” 18 He gave to Moses, when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God’s finger.
(WEB)
These final verses tie the Sabbath to creation and end with the tablets written by God’s finger. Reading them last gives the session a clear and memorable close.
Memory Verse for Exodus 31
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you that you give gifts to people for the good of your work and your people. Thank you for Bezalel and Oholiab and for the wise-hearted who built what you asked them to build. Help us to see our own skills as something you can fill with purpose, and to use them with care for those around us. Teach us to rest as a sign that we belong to you, and to trust that you are the one who makes us holy. Give us wisdom to honor the rhythm you have given, and keep our hearts attentive to your word. Amen.
