Shekinah: meaning and Bible verses

Shekinah is a Hebrew term, present in Jewish tradition, that evokes the divine presence, the manifestation of God on Earth. Although the term does not appear in the Bible, there are numerous examples of such manifestations in the history of the Hebrew people, particularly in the Old Testament . Discover these veiled but real manifestations of God's glory, through which he makes us feel his presence.

What is Shekinah according to the Bible?

Shekinah in Hebrew can be translated as "todwell", "toreside". This notion of God's manifest presence among his people, often associated with divine glory, is particularly significant in the Old Testament.
This divine presence is found in the Tabernacle, but it also appears in different ways in certain contexts through visible, tangible manifestations, such as natural phenomena or clouds.

The shekinah evokes the proximity of a God who does not remain distant from his people, but desires to "reside", to "abide" with them, in their midst, to guide and protect them.

The shekinah can be likened to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, as an active presence of God in the world.

How is the Shekinah symbolized in the Bible?

What forms does the Shekinah's divine manifestation take?
God manifests Himself in many tangible ways in the Old Testament.
He allows himself to be encountered in the tabernacle, which contains the Ark of the Covenant.
He then reveals himself, veiled, through a cloud.
But other types of divine manifestation are also described, such as the pillar of smoke or the pillar of fire during the Exodus , the gentle breeze before theprophet Elijah on Mount Horeb , or in a burning bush before Moses .

In the New Testament, God's glory is manifested in Jesus Christ : "Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" (John 14:9). We can see this in particular in the episode of the transfiguration : "While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." ( Matthew 17:5)

5 Bible passages that evoke the glory of God and the cloud in the sanctuary

"There I will meet you and there, from above the cover, between the two cherubim on the ark of the covenant, I will tell you all that I command you regarding the Israelites." (Exodus 25:22)

"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle..
 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud remained there and the glory of the Lord filled the Abode.
 At each stage, when the cloud lifted and left the Abode, the sons of Israel set up camp.
 If the cloud did not rise, they camped until the day it did.
 By day, the cloud of the Lord rested on the Abode, and by night, a fire shone in the cloud in the eyes of all Israel. And so it was in all their stages" (Exodus 40:34,38).

"Now the cherubim were standing to the south of the temple when the man went in and a cloud filled the inner court. The glory of the L ord had moved off the cherubim to the threshold of the temple; the temple was filled with the cloud, the whole court brilliant with the glory of the L ord ." (Ezekiel 10, 3-4)

"Then the glory of the God of Israel moved off the cherub and went up to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man dressed in linen with the scribe’s case at his waist" (Ezekiel 9:3)

"When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord ." (1 Kings 8, 10-11)

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