A friend of the Eth CEPHER writes, “What exactly is Shekinah glory?”

Although this term “Shekinah” is tossed around in Christian and Messianic communities, the word that is actually at work here is the word (שָׁכַן) shâkan (Strong’s H7931) (Shekinah being its feminine application), which is a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) through the idea of lodging, meaning: to reside or to permanently stay (literally or figuratively): to abide, continue, to cause to, or make to dwell; to have habitation, to inhabit.

Let us begin our discussion with this verse:

Shemoth (Exodus) 40:34-35
Then a cloud covered את eth-the tent of the assembly, and the glory of YAHUAH filled את eth-the Tabernacle. 35 And Mosheh was not able to enter into the tent of the assembly, because the cloud abode (שׁכן)(shakan) thereon, and the glory of YAHUAH filled את eth-the Tabernacle.

We see a few more examples of the use of the word shakan:

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 9:27
ELOHIYM shall enlarge Yapheth, and he shall dwell (וישׁכן)(v’shakan) in the tents of Shem; and Kena`an shall be his servant.

Shemoth (Exodus) 25:8
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell (ושׁכנתי)(v’shakan’oth’i) among them.

The verse that most likely gave us the Yiddish slang Shekinah (or, the Talmudic expression) is the following:

Shemoth (Exodus) 29:45-46
And I will dwell (ושׁכנתי)(v’shakan’oth’i) among the children of Yashar’el, and will be their ELOHIYM. 46 And they shall know that I am YAHUAH ELOHAYHEM, that brought them forth out of the land of Mitsrayim, that I may dwell (לשׁכני)(l’shekan’i) among them: I am YAHUAH ELOHAYHEM.

So, in the actual Scripture, we see that shekani is a condition of dwelling. If we are to ask the question, then, what is the Shekinah Glory?  It is the indwelling glory (shekan’i kavod).