Exodus 21:15 And he that smites his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. A young man, of whom I once heard, was often spoken to and often prayed for by his mother, until he said to her, "Mother, if you don't give up that praying for me, I will run away to sea." He ran away. Before he went, his mother packed his box. She put the writing paper at the top, and all she begged of him was, "My boy, when you are far away from me, write to me. I will write to you; but send me an answer." He went away; he stayed three years, and never sent a single syllable to that loving mother, who oftentimes was kneeling by her bedside praying for that runaway boy. At last he went back to the old village to see how she was. As he walked down the street his heart misgave him. He walked up the path to the house, he knocked at the door; it was opened by a person whom he did not know. He asked for Mrs. So-and-so. "How is she?" The woman looked blank at him. He said, "Is not she here?" "Oh," said the woman, "you mean the old woman who used to live here. She died eight months ago of a broken heart. She had a bad son, who went away to sea and left her, and she wrote to him, and he never wrote back again." He turned away and went into the village churchyard. He looked at the graves, he found the one he sought, and threw himself down upon it, saying, "Oh, mother, I never meant it, I never meant it! " But he did it. (Dr. Morgan.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.WEB: "Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death. |
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