A profound moral revolution is demanded from the people, requiring a complete emotional and behavioral shift regarding good and evil. This social repair stands as the final hope for divine mercy after severe disasters have already begun striking the nation. It is not enough to simply change actions; the people must actively hate what is evil in God's eyes and love what is good [מצודת דוד]. While earlier demands focused on faith and humanity's relationship with God, the focus here shifts to how people treat one another. The nation must despise the wickedness that brings punishment upon them. Instead of hating the righteous and corrupting the law, they must embrace goodness [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, this call to hate and love may refer not to actions, but to individuals. In this view, the people are urged to hate the wicked person and love the good person—specifically the one who speaks the truth and offers necessary rebuke [אבן עזרא].
The practical outcome of loving the good is a firm commitment to setting up and solidifying justice [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. This means maintaining fair courts at the city gates, the traditional gathering place for judges and elders [רד״ק]. Fixing the justice system is urgently needed, as the primary causes of the nation's exile and suffering are sins committed against one another, such as oppressing the poor and twisting the law [מלבי״ם].
If the people correct their ways and restore justice, there is a chance for pardon and compassion [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Despite their many sins, genuine repentance and fair justice offer hope that the merciful God will spare them [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. His divine compassion is directed toward a surviving remnant, a term reflecting the tragic reality that much of the nation has already been lost to exile, war, famine, and plague [רד״ק]. This surviving group is associated with the name of Joseph. The primary approach among commentators is that Joseph represents the entire nation of Israel, honoring him for sustaining the family during the years of famine in Egypt [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Conversely, others suggest the name refers specifically to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, as their ruling king at the time was a direct descendant of Joseph [אבן עזרא, רד״ק].