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Selected Verse: Isaiah 16:11 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 16:11	Strong Concordance	Wherefore my bowels [04578] shall sound [01993] like an harp [03658] for Moab [04124], and mine inward parts [07130] for Kirharesh [07025].
	King James	Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
bowels--in Scripture the seat of yearning compassion. It means the inward seat of emotion, the heart, &c. (Isa 63:15; compare Isa 15:5; Jer 48:36). sound . . . harp--as its strings vibrate when beaten with the plectrum or hand.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

bowels--in Scripture the seat of yearning compassion. It means the inward seat of emotion, the heart, &c. (Isa 63:15; compare Isa 15:5; Jer 48:36).

sound . . . harp--as its strings vibrate when beaten with the plectrum or hand.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Wherefore my bowels - This is also an expression of the deep grief of the prophet in view of the calamities which were coming upon Moab. The "bowels" in the Scriptures are everywhere represented as the seat of compassion, pity, commiseration, and tender mercy Gen 43:30 : 'His bowels did yearn upon his brother' - he deeply felt for him, he greatly pitied him Kg1 3:26; Psa 25:6; Pro 12:10; Sol 5:4; Isa 63:15; Jer 4:19; Jer 31:20; Phi 1:8; Phi 2:1. In classic writers, the word 'bowels' denotes the "upper" viscera of victims - the heart, the lungs, the liver, which were eaten during or after the sacrifice (Robinson, "Lex.," on the word σπλάγχνον splangchnon). In the Scriptures, it denotes the "inward parts" - evidently also the upper viscera, regarded as the seat of the emotions and passions. The word as we use it - denoting the lower "viscera" - by no means expresses the sense of the word in the Scriptures, and it is this change in the signification which renders the use of the very language of the Bible unpleasant or inappropriate. We express the idea by the use of the word "heart" - the seat of the affections. Shall sound like an harp - The "bowels" are represented in the Scriptures as affected in various modes in the exercise of pity or compassion. Thus, in Lam 1:20, Jeremiah says, 'My bowels are troubled' (see Lam 2:1; Jer 31:20). Job Job 30:27, says, 'My bowels boiled, and rested not;' there was great agitation; deep feeling. Thus, Jer 4:19 : My bowels! My bowels! I am pained at my very heart. My heart "maketh a noise" in me. So Isa 63:15 : 'Where is the sounding of thy bowels and mercies?' The word 'sound' here means to make a tumultuous noise; and the whole expression here denotes that his heart was affected with the calamities of Moab as the strings of the harp vibrate when beaten with the plectrum or the band. His heart was deeply pained and affected by the calamities of Moab, and responded to those calamities, as the strings of the harp did to the blow of the plectrum. Mine inward parts - The expressions used here are somewhat analogous to ours of the "beating of the heart," to denote deep emotion. Forster says of the savages of the South Sea that they call compassion "a barking of the bowels." For Kirharesh - (See the note at Isa 16:7.)

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Wherefore my bowels - This is also an expression of the deep grief of the prophet in view of the calamities which were coming upon Moab. The "bowels" in the Scriptures are everywhere represented as the seat of compassion, pity, commiseration, and tender mercy Gen 43:30 : 'His bowels did yearn upon his brother' - he deeply felt for him, he greatly pitied him Kg1 3:26; Psa 25:6; Pro 12:10; Sol 5:4; Isa 63:15; Jer 4:19; Jer 31:20; Phi 1:8; Phi 2:1. In classic writers, the word 'bowels' denotes the "upper" viscera of victims - the heart, the lungs, the liver, which were eaten during or after the sacrifice (Robinson, "Lex.," on the word σπλάγχνον splangchnon). In the Scriptures, it denotes the "inward parts" - evidently also the upper viscera, regarded as the seat of the emotions and passions. The word as we use it - denoting the lower "viscera" - by no means expresses the sense of the word in the Scriptures, and it is this change in the signification which renders the use of the very language of the Bible unpleasant or inappropriate. We express the idea by the use of the word "heart" - the seat of the affections.

Shall sound like an harp - The "bowels" are represented in the Scriptures as affected in various modes in the exercise of pity or compassion. Thus, in Lam 1:20, Jeremiah says, 'My bowels are troubled' (see Lam 2:1; Jer 31:20). Job Job 30:27, says, 'My bowels boiled, and rested not;' there was great agitation; deep feeling. Thus, Jer 4:19 :

My bowels! My bowels! I am pained at my very heart.

My heart "maketh a noise" in me.

So Isa 63:15 : 'Where is the sounding of thy bowels and mercies?' The word 'sound' here means to make a tumultuous noise; and the whole expression here denotes that his heart was affected with the calamities of Moab as the strings of the harp vibrate when beaten with the plectrum or the band. His heart was deeply pained and affected by the calamities of Moab, and responded to those calamities, as the strings of the harp did to the blow of the plectrum.

Mine inward parts - The expressions used here are somewhat analogous to ours of the "beating of the heart," to denote deep emotion. Forster says of the savages of the South Sea that they call compassion "a barking of the bowels."

For Kirharesh - (See the note at Isa 16:7.)

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
My bowels - Thro' compassion. In excessive grief, the bowels are sometimes rolled together, so as to make an audible noise.

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³⁶ Therefore mine heart [03820] shall sound [01993] for Moab [04124] like pipes [02485], and mine heart [03820] shall sound [01993] like pipes [02485] for the men [0582] of Kirheres [07025]: because the riches [03502] that he hath gotten [06213] are perished [06].

⁵ My heart [03820] shall cry out [02199] for Moab [04124]; his fugitives [01280] shall flee unto Zoar [06820], an heifer [05697] of three years old [07992]: for by the mounting up [04608] of Luhith [03872] with weeping [01065] shall they go it up [05927]; for in the way [01870] of Horonaim [02773] they shall raise up [05782] a cry [02201] of destruction [07667].

¹⁵ Look down [05027] from heaven [08064], and behold [07200] from the habitation [02073] of thy holiness [06944] and of thy glory [08597]: where is thy zeal [07068] and thy strength [01369], the sounding [01995] of thy bowels [04578] and of thy mercies [07356] toward me? are they restrained [0662]?

⁷ Therefore shall Moab [04124] howl [03213] for Moab [04124], every one shall howl [03213]: for the foundations [0808] of Kirhareseth [07025] shall ye mourn [01897]; surely they are stricken [05218].

¹⁹ My bowels [04578], my bowels [04578]! I am pained [02342] [03176] at my very [07023] heart [03820]; my heart [03820] maketh a noise [01993] in me; I cannot hold my peace [02790], because thou hast heard [08085], O my soul [05315], the sound [06963] of the trumpet [07782], the alarm [08643] of war [04421].

²⁷ My bowels [04578] boiled [07570], and rested [01826] not: the days [03117] of affliction [06040] prevented [06923] me.

²⁰ Is Ephraim [0669] my dear [03357] son [01121]? is he a pleasant [08191] child [03206]? for since [01767] I spake [01696] against him, I do earnestly [02142] remember [02142] him still: therefore my bowels [04578] are troubled [01993] for him; I will surely [07355] have mercy [07355] upon him, saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

¹ How hath the Lord [0136] covered [05743] the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726] with a cloud [05743] in his anger [0639], and cast down [07993] from heaven [08064] unto the earth [0776] the beauty [08597] of Israel [03478], and remembered [02142] not his footstool [01916] [07272] in the day [03117] of his anger [0639]!

²⁰ Behold [07200], O LORD [03068]; for I am in distress [06887]: my bowels [04578] are troubled [02560]; mine heart [03820] is turned [02015] within [07130] me; for I have grievously [04784] rebelled [04784]: abroad [02351] the sword [02719] bereaveth [07921], at home [01004] there is as death [04194].

¹ If there be therefore [3767] any [1536] consolation [3874] in [1722] Christ [5547], if any [1536] comfort [3890] of love [26], if any [1536] fellowship [2842] of the Spirit [4151], if any [1536] bowels [4698] and [2532] mercies [3628],

⁸ For [1063] God [2316] is [2076] my [3450] record [3144], how [5613] greatly I long after [1971] you [5209] all [3956] in [1722] the bowels [4698] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547].

⁴ My beloved [01730] put in [07971] his hand [03027] by [04480] the hole [02356] of the door, and my bowels [04578] were moved [01993] for him.

¹⁰ A righteous [06662] man regardeth [03045] the life [05315] of his beast [0929]: but the tender mercies [07356] of the wicked [07563] are cruel [0394].

⁶ Remember [02142], O LORD [03068], thy tender mercies [07356] and thy lovingkindnesses [02617]; for they have been ever of old [05769].

²⁶ Then spake [0559] the woman [0802] whose the living [02416] child [01121] was unto the king [04428], for her bowels [07356] yearned [03648] upon her son [01121], and she said [0559], O [0994] my lord [0113], give [05414] her the living [02416] child [03205], and in no wise [04191] slay [04191] it. But the other said [0559], Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide [01504] it.

³⁰ And Joseph [03130] made haste [04116]; for his bowels [07356] did yearn [03648] upon his brother [0251]: and he sought [01245] where to weep [01058]; and he entered [0935] into his chamber [02315], and wept [01058] there.