Shekinah
Summary
A term from later Jewish tradition (not found in Scripture) denoting the visible manifestation of God's glorious presence, especially as it dwelt above the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle and temple.
☩Definition and Origin
The word 'Shekinah' derives from the Hebrew verb 'shakhan' meaning 'to dwell' or 'reside.' Though not found in the Bible itself, the term was introduced by later rabbis and appears in the Targums (Aramaic translations of Scripture) to describe God's visible presence dwelling among His people. It was used alongside related terms like 'the Glory' (Yekara) and 'the Word' (Memra) as reverent ways of speaking about God indirectly.
☩Biblical Manifestations
The Shekinah was associated with various biblical phenomena: the pillar of cloud and fire that guided Israel through the wilderness, the 'glory of the Lord' that filled the tabernacle and later Solomon's temple, and the luminous presence that appeared between the cherubim on the ark's mercy seat. When the 'glory of the Lord' appeared, it often manifested as an intensely bright light—'a devouring fire' on Sinai, or the brightness that filled the temple so that priests could not minister.
☩New Testament Allusions
Several New Testament passages allude to the Shekinah concept: the 'glory of the Lord' shining around the shepherds at Christ's birth, the bright cloud of the Transfiguration from which God spoke, and the 'cherubim of glory' overshadowing the mercy seat mentioned in Hebrews. John's Gospel makes the connection explicit when it states that the Word 'tabernacled' (Greek 'skenoo,' deliberately echoing 'shekinah') among us, and 'we beheld his glory.'
Related Verses10 mentions
References
- 1.John Kitto, "Shekinah," in A Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, vol. II (Mark H. Newman, 1845).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Shekinah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Shekinah," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).