Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

³⁶ Avigayil came to Naval; there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king. He was in high spirits, because he was very drunk. So she told him nothing whatever until the next morning. ³⁷ In the morning, when he was sober and his wife told him what had happened, he had a stroke and became as motionless as a stone. ³⁸ Some ten days later Adonai struck Naval, and he died.

³⁹ When David heard that Naval was dead, he said, “Blessed be Adonai for having taken my side in the matter of Naval’s insult and for having prevented his servant from doing anything bad. On the contrary, Adonai has caused Naval’s bad deeds to return on his own head.” Then David sent a message that he wanted to make Avigayil his own wife. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants reached Avigayil in Karmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to bring you to him to be his wife.” ⁴¹ She got up, bowed with her face to the ground, and said, “Your servant is here to serve you, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” ⁴² Avigayil then hurried, set out and rode off on a donkey, with five of her female servants following her; she went after David’s messengers; and she became his wife.

³⁹ On leaving, Yeshua went as usual to the Mount of Olives; and the talmidim followed him. ⁴⁰ When he arrived, he said to them, “Pray that you won’t be put to the test.” ⁴¹ He went about a stone’s throw away from them, kneeled down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done.” ⁴³ There appeared to him an angel from heaven giving him strength, ⁴⁴ and in great anguish he prayed more intensely, so that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. ⁴⁵ On rising from prayer and coming to the talmidim, he found them sleeping because of their grief. ⁴⁶ He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you won’t be put to the test!”