My Bowels Sound?

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

My heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir Hareseth. -NIV

An agnostic friend of mine from high school pointed out this evolution in translations to me in response to my recent scriptural Facebook posts. Though his argument was not meant to be profound but really just witty and obnoxious, I got to thinking about the Bible-about what is true. How did we get from bowels to heart? In my Old Testament class, I've been reading on scholarly theories that the Elohist writer likely wrote in the curse of Canaan for Ham's wrongdoing as a political tactic to associate Solomon, a descendant, with this wrath of God. I cannot begin to understand all the political backdrop, the artistic license, and different motives present during the establishment of the Bible. We believe in the Bible as divinely inspired and perfect, and yet there are blatant errors and anachronisms present throughout the text. Or we read through the book of Lamentations or Deuteronomy and study verses like Deuteronomy 17: 2-7 where God basically says if someone truly does not believe in me and worships idols, drag him out and stone him. Well, that's archaic and preposterous we say...but then what about when we read Genesis 19 or Judges 19 and we condemn homosexuality? Were we reading it right? Condemnation or just ritual uncleanliness? Should I not wear my shirt if it's made of polyester and a little cotton? We're do we draw the line? What are we calling black and white, right and wrong?
Now I know a lot of this is ridiculous legalism that completely misses the meaning of the message, but it is amazing how close-minded I can become. God is still speaking, and I never realized studying the Old Testament would make me question, reexamine, and reopen things I thought I had figured out. I think God calls us to a practice revealed in one of the most powerful expressions of artistic meaning of all time, The Office. When reading the Bible, we must practice "H-onesty, E-mpathy, R-espect, and O-pen-mindedness." We will never find all the answers, and we must always stay rooted in the absolutes truths of the Gospel. However, I do believe we are being called even today in 2009 AD to seek God's intent for this present world and for our future. Correct United Church of Christ, "God is still speaking", and we must approach His Word with a sincere, thirsty spirit, looking to bring His dream to this world.