Allah then says,

[وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى الاٌّوْتَادِ ]

(And Fir`awn with Al-Awtad) Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Al-Awtad are the armies who enforced his commands for him.'' It has also been said that Fir`awn used to nail their hands and their feet into pegs (Awtad) of iron that he would hang them from. A similar statement was made by Mujahid when he said, "He used to nail the people (up) on pegs.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi all said the same thing. Allah said,

[الَّذِينَ طَغَوْاْ فِى الْبِلَـدِ - فَأَكْثَرُواْ فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ ]

(Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands. And made therein much mischief.) meaning, they rebelled, were arrogant, and went about making corruption in the land, and harming the people.

[فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ ]

(So, your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment.) meaning, He sent down a torment upon them from the sky and caused them to be overcome by a punishment that could not be repelled from the people who were criminals.