Rhetorical: This verse depends upon the last line of the previous verse. Alma has indicated, concerning Zarahemla: “[God] …hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that they are established again in the way of his righteousness.” The important concept is the “exceedingly great joy.”
In this verse, Alma picks up on that theme, and transfers it to the people Gideon. He trusts, “according to the Spirit of God”…“that I shall also have joy over you.” Thus Alma takes his divinely appointed gift of joy over those in Zarahemla and indicates that the same source gives him joy for those in Gideon.
After this comparison of the similarities (God-given joy for both peoples) Alma now highlights the contrasts. The joy over Zarahemla came after tears – “after wading through much affliction and sorrow.” In Gideon, he expects the joy without the sorrow, for they have not strayed from the way.