Isaiah 16:11

Douay-Rheims Bible

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for the brick wall.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore I moan like the sound of a lyre for Moab,as does my innermost being for Kir-heres.

Hebrew Names Version
Why my heart sounds like a harp for Mo'av, and my inward parts for Kir-Heres.

King James Version
Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.

English Standard Version
Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore my inner being sounds like a harp for Moab. And my heart for Kir-hareseth.

New Century Version
My heart cries for Moab like a harp playing a funeral song; I am very sad for Kir Hareseth.

Amplified Bible
Therefore my heart sounds like a harp [in mournful compassion] for Moab, And my inner being mourns for Kir-hareseth.

World English Bible
Why my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir-heres.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore, my bowels shall sounde like an harpe for Moab, and mine inwarde partes for Ker-haresh.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore my inner being moans like a harp for MoabAnd my inward feelings for Kir‑hareseth.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir-hareseth.

Contemporary English Version
Deep in my heart I hurt for Moab and Kir-Heres.

Complete Jewish Bible
This is why my heart throbs like a lyre for Mo'av, and everything in me for Kir-Heres.

Darby Translation
Therefore my bowels sound like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirheres.

Easy-to-Read Version
So I will hum a sad song for Moab and Kir Heres, like a harp playing a funeral song.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore my heart shall lament like a harp for Moab, and my soul for the fortified walls which will be destroyed.

Good News Translation
I groan with sadness for Moab, with grief for Kir Heres.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore my heart moans like a harp for Moab and my inner parts for Kir-heres.

Literal Translation
For this reason my belly shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir-haresh.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore my bely robled (as it had bene a lute) for Moabs sake, & myne inwarde membres, for the bryck walles sake.

American Standard Version
Wherefore my heart soundeth like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-heres.

Bible in Basic English
For this cause the cords of my heart are sounding for Moab, and I am full of sorrow for Kir-heres.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wherefore my heart moaneth like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-heres.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore my bowels shal sound like an harpe for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore my bowels shall rumble like an Harpe for Moabs sake, & mine inwarde partes for the cities sake that is made of bricke.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore my belly shall sound as a harp for Moab, and thou hast repaired my inward parts as a wall.

English Revised Version
Wherefore my bowels sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-heres.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
On this thing my wombe schal sowne as an harpe to Moab, and myn entrails to the wal of bakun tiel stoon.

Update Bible Version
Therefore my insides sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir-heres.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir-haresh.

New English Translation
So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp, my inner being sighs for Kir Hareseth.

New King James Version
Therefore my heart shall resound like a harp for Moab, And my inner being for Kir Heres.

New Living Translation
My heart's cry for Moab is like a lament on a harp. I am filled with anguish for Kir-hareseth.

New Life Bible
So my heart cries with sorrow for Moab like a harp. Inside myself I cry for Kir-hareseth.

New Revised Standard
Therefore my heart throbs like a harp for Moab, and my very soul for Kir-heres.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For this cause, mine inward parts - for Moab, like a lyre, shall make a plaintive sound, - Yea what is within me, for Kir-heres.

Revised Standard Version
Therefore my soul moans like a lyre for Moab, and my heart for Kir-he'res.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore my bowels for Moab as a harp do sound, And mine inward parts for Kir-Haresh.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore my heart intones like a harp for Moab And my inward feelings for Kir-hareseth.

Contextual Overview

⁶ We have heard of the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud: his pride and his arrogancy, and his indignation is more than his strength. ⁷ Therefore shall Moab howl to Moab, every one shall howl: to them that rejoice upon the brick walls, tell ye their stripes. ⁸ For the suburbs of Hesebon are desolate, and the lords of the nations have destroyed the vineyard of Sabama: the branches thereof have reached even to Jazer: they have wandered in the wilderness, the branches thereof are left, they are gone over the sea. ⁹ Therefore I will lament with the weeping of Jazer the vineyard of Sabama: I will water thee with my tears, O Hesebon, and Eleale: for the voice of the treaders hath rushed in upon thy vintage, and upon thy harvest. ¹⁰ And gladness and joy shall be taken away from Carmel, and there shall be no rejoicing nor shouting in the vineyards. He shall not tread out wine in the press that was wont to tread it out: the voice of the treaders I have taken away. ¹¹ Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for the brick wall. ¹² And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is wearied on his high places, that he shall go in to his sanctuaries to pray, and shall not prevail. ¹³ This is the word, that the Lord spoke to Moab from that time: ¹⁴ And now the Lord hath spoken, saying: In three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be taken away for all the multitude of the people, and it shall be left small and feeble, not many.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my: Isaiah 15:5, Isaiah 63:15, Jeremiah 4:19, Jeremiah 31:20, Jeremiah 48:36, Hosea 11:8, Philippians 2:1

Kirharesh: Isaiah 16:7, Kir-hareseth

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 3:25 - Kirharaseth Isaiah 15:1 - Kir Isaiah 21:3 - are Lamentations 1:20 - my bowels Ezekiel 21:6 - with the Philippians 1:8 - in

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
And God said to Abraham: Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for a perpetual covenant, and with his seed after him.

Exodus 3:7
And the Lord said to him: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of the rigour of them that are over the works;

Exodus 3:9
For the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have seen their affliction, wherewith they are oppressed by the Egyptians.

1 Samuel 1:20
And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

Job 38:41
Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?

Psalms 22:24
(21-25) Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face form me: and when I cried to him he heard me.

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.

Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:31
Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

Luke 1:63
And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab,.... Making a noise as the harp does, and a mournful one as that, when used at funerals; which it makes when it is stricken or played on with the hand, as these were, through the afflictive and punitive hand of God; and which, when stricken, causes a quavering of the strings, to which the inward trembling of the bowels is compared, and is very expressive of the prophet's sympathy, or those he personates; for, when one string of the harp is touched, the rest sound. For these words, as Kimchi says, are spoken in the language of the Moabites; those that survived lamenting the desolate state of their country, which must be very great and affecting; and to show that it was so is the design of the prophet's expressing himself after this manner; for if it was painful to him, it must be much more so to them; so the Targum,

"wherefore the bowels of the Moabites shall sound as a harp;''

of the sounding of the bowels, see Isaiah 63:15:

and mine inward parts for Kirharesh: the same with Kirhareseth,

Isaiah 16:7 which being a principal city, the destruction of it was greatly laid to heart. The Targum is,

"and their heart shall grieve for the men of the city of their strength;''

it being a strong city, in which they placed their confidence; but being destroyed, and the inhabitants of it, it was very affecting, to which agrees Jeremiah 48:31.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 Genesis 43:30 : ‘His bowels did yearn upon his brother’ - he deeply felt for him, he greatly pitied him 1 Kings 3:26; Psalms 25:6; Proverbs 12:10; Song of Solomon 5:4; Isaiah 63:15; Jeremiah 4:19; Jeremiah 31:20; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 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 Lamentations 1:20, Jeremiah says, ‘My bowels are troubled’ (see Lamentations 2:1; Jeremiah 31:20). Job Job 30:27, says, ‘My bowels boiled, and rested not;’ there was great agitation; deep feeling. Thus, Jeremiah 4:19 :

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

My heart “maketh a noise” in me.

So Isaiah 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 Isaiah 16:7.)