| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the construct phrase toavat Yahweh {תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה | tô-ʿă-ḇaṯ Yə-hō-wāh} ‘an abomination to the LORD’, signaling divine evaluation. The feminine plural noun machshevot ra {מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת רָ֑ע | maḥ-šê-bōṯ rāʿ} ‘evil thoughts’ describes corrupt intentions. The prefixed adjective wə-tehorim {וּטְהֹרִים | wə-te-ho-rîm} ‘and the pure’ sets up a parallel contrast. The construct imrei-noam {אִמְרֵי־נֹֽעַם | ʾim-rê-nō-ʿam} ‘words of pleasantness’ completes the chiastic antithesis between inner motives and outward speech. The balanced syntax and repetition of the divine name frame an ethical dichotomy preserved in translation by maintaining parallel structure and semantic nuance. |