יחזקאל, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ז׳

Following general warnings of an approaching downfall, the prophetic vision explicitly reveals the identity of the conqueror destined to destroy the mighty city of Tyre. A massive military coalition, led by the most powerful ruler of the generation, is set to descend upon the city from the north.

The leader of this invasion is Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who holds the supreme status of a king over other kings. This title highlights the reality that all the leaders and nations of the world are subject to his authority. This absolute dominance connects directly to earlier warnings that compared the coming enemy to a massive ocean storm made up of many different nations. Because he rules over all other kings, Nebuchadnezzar has the unique power to draft their armies and command them to follow him into any battle he chooses [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

The invading military machine is made up of two distinct but complementary forces. The first component consists of Nebuchadnezzar’s own elite, personal army. This core group includes his mightiest warriors along with a fast and highly powerful cavalry force. The second component is made up of a vast, overwhelming crowd of foot soldiers and auxiliary troops. These are the masses gathered from the many different nations spread across his broad empire, all brought together to join his campaign of conquest [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].