And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
The Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord - Sargon. In Hebrew it is lords; but the plural is often used to express greatness, where one alone is meant (Genesis 42:30). The parallel word "king" (singular) proves that the singular is meant. The Ethiopian rulers, however, who oppressed Egypt at that time, may be meant. Newton makes the general reference to be to Nebuchadnezzar, and a particular reference to Cambyses, son of Cyrus (who killed the Egyptian god Apis), and Ochus, Persian conquerors of Egypt, noted for their 'fierce cruelty.' Gesenius refers it to Psammitichus, who had brought into Egypt Greek and other foreign mercenaries to subdue the other eleven princes of the dodecarchy.