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REV 6:5-6

The Third Seal: Famine

5And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living being saying: 'Come!' And I looked, and behold — a black horse. And the one seated on it held a pair of scales in his hand.

6And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living beings saying: 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius — and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.'

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Roman Empire, famine was a recurring threat, often exacerbated by poor harvests, mismanagement of grain supplies, or exploitation by merchants. The black horse and scales evoke imagery of scarcity and economic imbalance. Scales were a common tool in markets for measuring grain, and their presence here suggests a system of rationing or inflated prices. A choenix of wheat, roughly a day’s ration for one person, costing a denarius—a full day’s wage—would have been catastrophic for laborers. Barley, a cheaper grain typically consumed by the poor, was also priced exorbitantly. The mention of oil and wine, staples of the Mediterranean diet, being spared hints at selective scarcity, possibly reflecting the inequities of Roman trade systems where luxury goods remained available while basic necessities became unattainable. This vision would have resonated deeply with John’s audience, who lived under Roman economic pressures and understood the devastating impact of famine on the vulnerable.

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How other translations render this

REV 6:5

KJV
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
BSB
And when the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” Then I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales.
Koinōnos
And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living being saying: 'Come!' And I looked, and behold — a black horse. And the one seated on it held a pair of scales in his hand.

REV 6:6

KJV
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
BSB
And I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine.”
Koinōnos
And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living beings saying: 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius — and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

REV 6:5

  • living creature:The word translated 'living creature' refers to any living being, often an animal, and in this context, it emphasizes the vibrant, animate nature of these beings around God's throne.
  • it:The term used here, while it can mean a 'yoke' for animals, also commonly referred to a 'pair of scales' or a 'balance' for weighing, which fits the context of measuring out food during a famine.

REV 6:6

  • A choenix:A 'choenix' was a specific dry measure, roughly equivalent to a quart, and was considered the daily ration of grain for one person, often a slave or soldier.
  • for a denarius:A 'denarius' was a Roman silver coin, typically representing a day's wage for a common laborer or soldier.