4 From Judah will come the cornerstoneand the tent peg.From him will come the battle bow.From him will come every ruler.
5 They will be like soldiersmarching to battle through muddy streets.The Lord is with them.So they will fight and defeat the horsemen.
6 “I will strengthen the people of Judah.And I will save the people of Joseph.I will bring them backbecause I care for them.It will be as thoughI had never left them.I am the Lord their God,and I will answer their calls for help.
7 The people of Ephraim will be strong like soldiers.They will be glad as when they have drunk wine.Their children will see it and rejoice.They will be happy in the Lord.
8 I will call my peopleand gather them together.I will save them.And there will be as many of them as there used to be.
9 I have scattered them among the nations.But in those faraway places, they will remember me.They and their children will live and return.
10 I will bring them back from Egypt.I will gather them from Assyria.I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon.There won’t be enough room in the land for them all.