A black horse; a measure of wheat for a denarius, three measures of barley for a denarius; oil and wine spared. Severe economic scarcity.
ἵππος (hippos, G2462); μέλας (melas, G3189); χοίνιξ (choinix, G5518); δηνάριον (denarion, G1220); σῖτος (sitos, G4621); κριθή (krithe, G2915)
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
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.
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.
The third seal describes economic scarcity with severe inflation ('a measure of wheat for a denarius, three measures of barley for a denarius'), reflecting widespread business cost pressures and economic strain. The Iran conflict causing rising business costs parallels the economic disruption theme of famine-era inflation, though this is a partial match rather than direct fulfillment of end-times judgment.