15 the Lord’s word came again to me, saying,
16 “You, son of man, take one stick, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’
17 Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
18 “When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
19 tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.
20 The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.”’
21 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will take the children of Israel from amongst the nations, where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.