Rev. 6:5 And when He had opened the third seal,
I heard the third Living Being say, "Go!" (The third seal is said by the third of the four living creatures, whose likeness is a man, indicates sympathy and human compassion for the sufferers )
And I looked, and behold,
a black horse (‘Melas’ to be dirty, bad, a beast for calamitous war; some sources state black is symbolic of sadness and want, and may mean a spiritual famine is included in this seal);
and he who sat on it had a pair of balances (‘Zugos’ a yoke, a pair of scales, justice, a symbol of scarcity in weighing out food) in his hand.
Rev. 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of (‘Mesos’ in the middle; from among)
the four Living Beings
say, A measure of wheat (‘Choinix’ a dry measure less than a quart to support a person for a day, about a day’s provision of wheat, estimated at two or three pints)
for a denarius (eight and a half pence; sixteen to twenty measures; ancient Roman gold coin valued at 25 silver denarii; a day’s ration; pp. A loaf of bread for $20),
and three measures (3 quarts; pp. 3 pounds) of barley (a lesser grain; pp. Flour, therefore the meaning is that the laborer could not afford the wheat with a days wages, and then purchased the barley in order to feed his family)
for a denarius,
and see that you do not hurt the oil (‘Elaion’ general use in commerce)
and the wine (pp. but there is no olive oil or wine; luxury and temptation items, symbolic of the luxuries of life).
Rev. 6:5-6