Reference: Shechinah
Easton
a Chaldee word meaning resting-place, not found in Scripture, but used by the later Jews to designate the visible symbol of God's presence in the tabernacle, and afterwards in Solomon's temple. When the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, he went before them "in a pillar of a cloud." This was the symbol of his presence with his people. For references made to it during the wilderness wanderings, see Ex 14:20; 40:34-38; Le 9:23-24; Nu 14:10; 16:19,42.
It is probable that after the entrance into Canaan this glory-cloud settled in the tabernacle upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. We have, however, no special reference to it till the consecration of the temple by Solomon, when it filled the whole house with its glory, so that the priests could not stand to minister (1Ki 8:10-13; 2Ch 5:13-14; 7:1-3). Probably it remained in the first temple in the holy of holies as the symbol of Jehovah's presence so long as that temple stood. It afterwards disappeared. (See Cloud.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. read more. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of meeting: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. read more. Then spoke Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built you a house to dwell in, a settled place for you to abide in forever.
Fausets
SHECHINAH or SHEKINAH. Not found in the Bible, but in the targums. From shakan "to dwell," from whence comes mishkan "the tabernacle." God's visible manifestation in a cloudy pillar and fire; the glorious light, enveloped in a cloud and thence bursting forth at times (Ex 16:7-10), especially over the mercy-seat or capporeth. (See CLOUD, PILLAR OF.) Ex 13:21-22; 14:19-20). Its absence from Zerubbabel's temple is one of the five particulars reckoned by the Jews as wanting in the second temple. In the targums, Shekinah is used as a periphrasis for God whenever He is said to "dwell" in Zion, between the cherubims, etc., to avoid the semblance of materialism. They anticipated the Shekinah's return under Messiah; Hag 1:8 they paraphrase, "I will cause My Shekinah to dwell in it in glory"; Zec 2:10, "I will cause My Shekinah to dwell in the midst of thee," etc.
The continued presence of the Shekinah down to Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of the temple seems implied in Joshua 3; 4; 6; Ps 68:1, compare Nu 10:35; Ps 132:8; 80:1; 99:1,7; Le 16:2. In the New Testament we find, corresponding to the Shekinah, "the glory of the Lord": Lu 2:9; compare De 33:2; Ac 7:2,53,55; Heb 2:2; 9:5; Ro 9:4 "the glory"; Joh 1:14, "the Word tabernacled (eskeenosen) among us, and we beheld His glory"; 2Co 4:6; 12:9, "that the power of Christ may tabernacle (episkeenosee) upon me"; Re 21:3. His coming again with clouds and fire is the antitype of this Shekinah (Mt 26:64; Lu 21:27; Ac 1:9,11; 1-28; 2Th 1:7-8; Re 1:7). Angels or cherubim generally accompany the Shekinah (Re 4:7-8; Ps 68:17; Zec 14:5). In Ge 3:24 is the earliest notice of the Shekinah as a swordlike flame between the cherubim, being the "Presence of Jehovah" from which Cain went out, and before which Adam and succeeding patriarchs worshipped.
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So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way of the tree of life.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
And in the morning, then you shall see the glory of the LORD; for he hears your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that you murmur against us? And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your murmurings which you murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. read more. And Moses spoke unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he has heard your murmurings. And it came to pass, as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
And it came to pass, when the ark moved forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered; and let them that hate you flee before you.
And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
[To the Chief Musician. A Psalm or Song of David.] Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
[To the Chief Musician upon shoshannim- Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you that lead Joseph like a flock; you that dwell between the cherubim, shine forth.
The LORD reigns; let the people tremble: he sits between the cherubim; let the earth be moved.
He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
Arise, O LORD, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength.
Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the LORD.
And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, you shall flee, like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with him.
Jesus said unto him, You have said so: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were much afraid.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Who also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
Who have received the law as delivered by angels, and have not kept it.
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced him: and all tribes of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had a face as a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Morish
Shechi'nah Shekinah. Sheki'nah
A name not found in scripture, but used by the Rabbis and others for the visible symbol of the presence of God, as was seen at the dedication of the temple built by Solomon, and at the Transfiguration. See CLOUD.
Smith
Shechi'nah
(dwelling). This term is not found in the Bible. It was used by the later Jews, and borrowed by Christians from them, to express the visible majesty of the divine Presence especially when resting or dwelling between the cherubim on the mercyseat. In the tabernacle and in the temple of Solomon, but not in the second temple. The use of the term is first found in the Targums, where it forms a frequent periphrasis for God, considered its dwelling among the children of Israel. The idea which the different accounts in Scripture convey is that of a most brilliant and glorious light, enveloped in a cloud, and usually concealed by the cloud, so that the cloud itself was for the most part alone visible but on particular occasions the glory appeared. The allusions in the New Testament to the shechinah are not unfrequent.
Lu 2:9; Joh 1:14; Ro 9:4
and we are distinctly taught to connect it with the incarnation and future coming of the Messiah as type with antitype.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were much afraid.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;