All KJV Words
Archaic KJV Word
What Does “Bowels” Mean in the Bible?
In the King James Bible, “Bowels” means “deepest compassion” in modern English. It is an archaic word from the 1611 KJV that has dropped out of everyday use.
What Was Lost
The ancient Hebrew and Greek understanding that the deepest emotions were physically located in the internal organs. Compassion was not a thought but a bodily event. The bowels of mercy meant compassion so overwhelming it was felt as physical pain in the core of the body.