BOWELS. The Bowels are the seat of mercy, tenderness, and compassion. Joseph’s bowels were moved at the sight of his Gen. xliii. 30.brother Benjamin; he perceived himself to be softned, and concerned. The true Mother of the Child, whom Solomon commanded to be divided into two parts, felt her Bowels to be moved at this proposition, and consented, that he should be given to 1 Kings iii. 26.her who was not his real Mother. She was touched with compassion. God through the Luke i. 78.bowels of his mercy, hath visited us by sending the Messiah to us. S. Paul recommends it to the faithful, to have Colos. iii. 12. Philem. 7. Ibid. 12. Job xxi. 24. Vulg. Edit.Bowels of mercy for their Brethren. He praises Philemon for having refreshed the Bowels of the Saints; and begs of him to receive Onesimus as his own Bowels. Et viscera mea suscipe.
Job describing a merciless, hard-hearted, rich Man, says, that his Bowels are loaded with fat. Solomon in his Proverbs, that the Bowels of the wicked are cruel. And S.- Prov. xii. 10.Paul 2 Cor. vi. 12. reproaches, as it were, the Corinthians in a friendly manner, saying, Ye are not straitned in us, but ye are straitned in your own bowels.
Job xxxviii. 36. Psal. li. 10. Isaiah xix. 3.The Hebrews likewise place wisdom and understanding sometimes in the Bowels: Who hath put wisdom in the inner parts, says Job. And the Psalmist, Renew a right spirit in my Bowels, within me. And Isaiah, The spirit of the Egyptians shall fail, shall be annihilated in the bowels, or in the midst thereof, and I will destroy the counsel thereof. It shall fall into disorder, Jer. xxxi. 33.mistake, and uncertainty. And Jeremiah, I will engrave my law in their bowels, or inner parts. And Habakkuk, There is no spirit in the intrails, in the midst of the idol; it Hab. ii. 19.has neither soul, spirit nor understanding.
Wisdom speaks of certain Canaanites, who eat the entrails of men, who were devourers Wisd. xii. 5.of human flesh. See Flesh. Formerly men were sacrificed to Bacchus in the Isle of Chios1, and were torn to pieces alive. They did as much in the Isle of Tenedos. And in the ninth Century2 human flesh was sold at China in the publick markets. As to eating the Flesh and Bowels of living animals, this was common in the feasts of Bacchus3.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages