| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with zevach {זֶבַח | zē-ḇāḥ} ‘sacrifice’ followed by resha’im {רְשָׁעִים | rĕ-šā-‘îm} ‘wicked ones’ in a construct chain producing “sacrifice of the wicked.” This is contrasted by the construct chain to’evat {תּוֹעֲבַת | tō-‘ă-ḇāt} Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh} ‘abomination of the LORD,’ which signals divine disapproval. The clause begins with u-tefillat {וּתְפִלַּת | ū-tĕ-pil-lāṯ} ‘and prayer,’ introducing an antithetic parallel that ties to yesharim {יְשָׁרִים | yĕ-šā-rîm} ‘upright ones’ in “prayer of the upright.” Retzono {רְצוֹנוֹ | rĕ-ṣō-nō} ‘his delight’ functions as the predicate, denoting God’s pleasure. The two balanced construct chains establish an antithetic structure contrasting external offerings with internal devotion and moral character. |