The Lord would see to it that evil (disaster) and nothing else was Israel’s appointed lot. The contrast between the evil that God promised and the good that Israel expected was exactly the punishment that they merited. They had disregarded the admonitions to seek good and not evil and hate evil but love good (Amos 5:14–15). Their love for evil (injustice and corrupt worship) was to be sated by the lavishness of God’s judgment.1 For the Lord to look upon Israel for harm (disaster) implies rejection according to covenant curses (Leviticus 26:17, Leviticus 26:24, Leviticus 26:28, Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 31:17–18; Deuteronomy 32:19–20).2
4 And if they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them; and I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good.”