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.)
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and went between the host of the Egyptians and the host of Israel. It was a dark cloud, and gave light by night: so that all the night long the one could not come at the other.
And the cloud covered the tabernacle of witness, and the glory of the LORD filled the habitation: so that Moses could not enter into the tabernacle of witness, because the cloud abode therein, and the glory of the LORD filled the habitation. read more. When the cloud was taken up from off the habitation, the children of Israel took their journeys, as oft as they journeyed. And if the cloud departed not, they journeyed not till it departed: for the cloud of the LORD was upon the habitation by day, and fire by night: in the sight of all the house of Israel in all their journeys.
Then Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of witness and came out again 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. And all the people saw it and shouted, and fell on their faces.
And all the whole multitude bade stone them with stones. But the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of witness, unto all the children of Israel.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of witness. And the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
And when the multitude was gathered against Moses and Aaron, they looked toward the tabernacle of witness; And behold, the cloud had covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.
And when the priests were come out of the Holy place, then a cloud filled the house of the LORD, that the priests could not endure to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. read more. Then spake Solomon, "The LORD said that he would dwell in darkness. I have built thee a house to dwell in, and a habitation for thee 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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And he cast Adam out, and set at the entering of the garden Eden, Cherubim with a naked sword moving in and out, to keep the way to the tree of life.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way: and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light: that they might go both by day and night. And the pillar of the cloud never departed by day nor the pillar of fire by night out of the people's sight.
And the angel of God which went before the host of Israel, removed and went behind them. And the clouden pillar that was before them removed and stood behind them and went between the host of the Egyptians and the host of Israel. It was a dark cloud, and gave light by night: so that all the night long the one could not come at the other.
and in the morning ye shall see the glory of the LORD: because he hath heard your grudgings against the LORD - for what are we that ye should murmur against us?" And moreover spake Moses, "At evening the LORD will give you flesh to eat, and in the morning bread enough, because the LORD hath heard your murmur which ye murmur against him: for what are we? Your murmuring is not against us, but against the LORD." read more. And Moses spake unto Aaron, "Say unto all the company of the children of Israel, 'Come forth before the LORD, for he hath heard your grudgings.'" And as Aaron spake unto the whole multitude of the children of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness: and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in a cloud.
And he said unto Moses, "Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he go not at all times into the holy place, that is within the veil that hangeth before the mercy seat which is upon the ark; that he die not. For I will appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat.
And when the ark went forth, Moses said, "Rise up LORD and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee."
saying, "The LORD came from Sinai, and showed his beams from Seir unto them; and appeared gloriously from mount Paran, and he came with thousands of saints, and in his righthand a law of fire for them.
{To the Chanter, a Psalm and song of David} Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him.
The chariots of God are many thousand times a thousand, the LORD is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai.
{To the Chanter, upon Shoshannim, a Psalm of Asaph} Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Jacob like a flock of sheep; show thyself, thou that sittest upon the Cherubim.
The LORD is king, be the people never so inpatient; he sitteth upon the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet.
He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar; for they kept his testimonies, and the law that he gave them.
Arise, O LORD, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength.
get you up to the mountain, fetch wood, and build up the house: that it may be acceptable unto me, and that I may show mine honour, sayeth the LORD.
"Shout and be glad, daughter of Zion! For behold, I come and dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
And ye shall flee unto the valley of my hills, for the valley of the hills shall reach unto Asia. Yea, flee shall ye, like as ye fled for the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. And the LORD my God shall come, and all saints with him.
Jesus said to him, "Thou hast said. Nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the son of man sitting on the righthand of power, and come in the clouds of the sky."
And, lo, the angel of the Lord stood hard by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
And then shall they see the son of man come in a cloud with power and great glory.
And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity.
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up: and a cloud received him up out of their sight.
which also said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, even as ye have seen him go into heaven."
And he said, "Ye men, brethren, and fathers, hearken to. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham while he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
And ye also have received a law by the ordinance of angels, and have not kept it."
But he, being full of the holy ghost, looked up steadfastly with his eyes into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the righthand of God,
Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants and the law that was given and the service of God, and the promises,
For it is God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, which hath shined in our hearts, for 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 thee. For my strength is made perfect through weakness." Very gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.
For if the word which was spoken by angels was steadfast - so that every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense to reward -
Over the ark were the cherubims of glory shadowing the seat of grace. Of which things, we will not now speak particularly.
Behold, he cometh with clouds, and all eyes shall see him: and they also which pierced him. And all kindreds of the earth shall wail. Even so, amen.
And the first beast was like a lion, the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had, each one of them, six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within. And they had no rest day neither night saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which 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 stood hard by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity.
Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants and the law that was given and the service of God, and the promises,