Where was the Shekinah glory cloud located in relation to the Ark of the Covenant?
The Shekinah glory cloud was directly above the Ark of the Covenant, behind the veil. That cloud by day and fire by night represented the Holy God, and the heavy curtain kept everyone but the high priest from approaching, except once a year.
Les explains that the Shekinah glory was represented in the tabernacle as the cloud by day and the fire by night. If the structure were lifted up on a plane, that cloud would be directly above the Ark of the Covenant at the back. The veil, a heavy curtain made with beautiful linen, divided the space and kept anyone from approaching except the high priest once a year, as covered in Leviticus 16.