Exodus 37 describes how Bezalel built the furnishings of the tabernacle: the ark of the covenant, its mercy seat, the table for the bread, the golden lampstand and the altar of incense. These questions help a small group, a Sunday class or a personal reader move from what the chapter says to what it means and how it shapes ordinary faith. Each set is simple to lead, and each answer gives a starting point for discussion.
Exodus 37 at a Glance
The chapter moves through the tabernacle’s holy objects in the order a worshiper would meet them. Bezalel first crafts the ark with its gold molding, rings and carrying poles (verses 1-5), then the mercy seat with its two cherubim (verses 6-9). Next come the table of showbread with its dishes (verses 10-16), the lampstand with its branches and lamps (verses 17-24), and finally the altar of incense with its horns and rings (verses 25-28). Verse 29 closes the chapter with the anointing oil and incense.
The repeated language of pure gold, acacia wood and carrying poles gives the chapter its rhythm. Leaders can use the question sets below in sequence, or pick one set for a shorter session.
Observation Questions
Use this set first, before anyone offers an opinion. Ask the group to look back at the text and point to details, so everyone works from the same words on the page.
Exodus 37:1-5
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold for it around it. 3 He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet; even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side. 4 He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
(WEB)
This passage describes the ark and its carrying poles, the central object of the tabernacle. Reading it aloud helps the group hear how carefully the details are given.
Exodus 37:6-9
6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its width. 7 He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of beaten work, at the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
(WEB)
Reading the mercy seat and cherubim together lets the group picture the space where God’s presence is said to dwell. It sets up the interpretation questions well.
Exodus 37:10-16
10 He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its width was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 12 He made a border of a hand width around it, and made a golden molding on its border around it. 13 He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet. 14 The rings were close by the border, the places for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 16 He made the vessels which were on the table, its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers with which to pour out, of pure gold.
(WEB)
The table and its vessels show the everyday side of worship and provision. Hearing the list aloud makes the richness of the furnishings vivid.
Exodus 37:17-22
17 He made the lamp stand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side: 19 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the lamp stand. 20 In the lamp stand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers; 21 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it. 22 Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold.
(WEB)
This passage gives the lampstand’s full design. Reading it aloud helps the group see the single piece of gold worked into buds and flowers.
Exodus 37:25-28
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its width a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it. 27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
(WEB)
Ending with the altar of incense links the chapter to prayer and the rising of worship. It makes a natural bridge to the application questions.
Memory Verse for Exodus 37
Exodus 37:9
The cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
(WEB)
This verse captures the posture of the mercy seat, with the cherubim’s wings covering it and their faces turned toward one another and toward the seat. It is a memorable image of God’s mercy being watched over with reverence.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you that you gave your people a way to draw near to your holiness with care and beauty. Thank you for the mercy seat, where atonement was made and where your mercy was shown. Help us to bring our skills and our time to you as Bezalel and his helpers did. Teach us to carry your presence wherever you lead us this week, and let our prayers rise before you like a steady fragrance. Shape our lives into light that others can see, and keep us close to your mercy every day. Amen.
