7602.“和大麦”表它的良善。这从“大麦”的含义清楚可知，“大麦”是指外层属世层的良善。“大麦”之所以具有这种含义，是因为它是田地的出产，用来作食物的谷物。事实上，“谷物”一般表示真理之良善（参看3580，5295，5410，5959节），尤其大麦和小麦，“大麦”表示外层属世层的良善，“小麦”表示内层属世层的良善。在约珥书，“大麦”表示前一种良善。
素祭和奠祭从耶和华的殿中断绝，侍奉耶和华的祭司都悲哀。田荒凉，地悲哀，因为五谷毁坏，新酒干竭，油也缺乏。农夫惭愧；修理葡萄园的为大麦小麦哀号，因为田间的庄稼都灭绝了。（约珥书1:9-11）
这段预言的主题是良善和真理的荒凉，这从这一章接下来的经文明显看出来。“五谷”、“新酒”、“小麦”和“大麦”并非表示这些产物，而是表示属灵事物；因此，“小麦”表示内层良善，“大麦”表示外层良善。以西结书（4:9）和申命记（8:8）中的大麦具有同样的含义。士师记：
基甸到了营中时，正有一个人把梦告诉同伴说，看哪，我做了一梦，梦见一个大麦饼滚入米甸营中，撞到帐幕，将它撞倒翻转，帐幕就倾覆了。（士师记7:13）
“米甸”表示那些那些处于简单良善的真理之人，在反面意义上表示那些未处于生活的良善之人（3242，4756，4788，6773节）。这种良善是外层属世层的良善，由“大麦饼”来表示。但感官快乐若取代这种良善而被视为目的，就由“大麦烤饼”来表示。这就是此处米甸人所代表并且那时所描述的状态。
Potts(1905-1910) 7602
7602. And the barley. That this signifies its good, is evident from the signification of "barley," as being the good of the exterior natural. That "barley" has this signification is because it is produce of the field, and is a grain that serves for food; for "grain" in general signifies the good of truth (see n. 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959), especially barley and wheat - "barley," the good of the exterior natural, and "wheat," the good of the interior natural. The former good is signified by "barley" in Joel:
The meat-offering and the drink-offering are cut off from the house of Jehovah; the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, have mourned. The field hath been laid waste, the earth hath mourned, because the grain hath been devastated, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. The husbandmen are ashamed, the vinedressers have howled over the wheat and over the barley, because the harvest of the field hath perished (Joel 1:9-11);
the subject of this prophecy is the vastation of good and truth, as is evident from what follows in the chapter; and therefore by "grain," "new wine," "wheat," and "barley," are not signified these things, but spiritual things; thus by "wheat," interior good; and by "barley," exterior good. So with "barley" in Ezek. 4:9, and in Deut. 8:8. In the book of Judges:
When Gideon was come to the camp, a man was telling a dream to his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo a baked loaf of barley rolled unto the camp of Midian, and came even unto the tent, and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and so the tent fell (Judg. 7:13);
by "Midian" are signified those who are in the truth of simple good, and in the opposite sense those who are not in the good of life (n. 3242, 4756, 4788, 6773). This good is the good of the exterior natural, and is signified by a "loaf of barley;" but the delight of pleasures, if regarded as the end instead of this good, is what is signified by the "baked loaf of barley;" this is the state which the Midianites at that time represented, and which is there described.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7602
7602. 'And the barley' means its good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the barley' as the good of the exterior natural. The reason why 'the barley' means that good is that it is a product of the field and is a grain that serves for food. For 'grain' in general means the good of truth, 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959, as do 'barley and wheat' in particular - 'barley' the good of the exterior natural, and 'wheat' the good of the interior natural. The former is meant by 'the barley' in Joel,
The minchah has been cut off, and the drink offering, from the house of Jehovah; the priests have been mourning, the ministers of Jehovah. The field has been devastated, the land has been mourning because the grain has been laid waste, the new wine has failed, the oil languishes. Farmers have been put to shame, vine dressers have wailed over the wheat and over the barley, for the reason that the harvest of the field has perished. Joel 1:9-11.
The prophet is referring at this point to a laying waste of what is good and true, as is clear from what follows it there. Not those products therefore are meant by 'the grain', 'the new wine', 'the wheat', and 'the barley', but spiritual things; that is, 'the wheat' means interior good, and 'the barley' exterior good. 'Barley' has a similar meaning in Ezekiel 4:9 and Deut 8:8. In the Book of Judges,
When Gideon reached the camp, there was a man recounting a dream to his companion. And he said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread rolled towards the camp of Midian, and came all the way to a tent, and struck it so that it fell, and overturned it, and so the tent collapsed. Judg 7:13.
'Midian' means those who are guided by the truth that goes with simple good, and in the contrary sense those who fail to lead a good life, 3242, 4756, 4788, 6777. This good is the good of the exterior natural and is meant by 'barley bread'. But sensory pleasure, if this is what a person has in view instead of that good, is what is meant by 'a cake of barley bread'. This is the state that the Midianites described here represented on that occasion.
Latin(1748-1756) 7602
7602. `Et hordeum': quod significet bonum ejus, constat ex significatione `hordei' quod sit bonum naturalis exterioris {1}; quod `hordeum' id sit, est quia est proventus agri, et est frumentum quod inservit esui; `frumentum' enim in genere significat bonum veri, n. 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959, in specie `hordeum et triticum,' `hordeum' bonum naturalis exterioris, et `triticum' bonum naturalis interioris: illud significat `hordeum' apud Joelem, Excisa est minhah et libamen de domo Jehovae; luxerunt sacerdotes ministri Jehovae; devastatus est ager, luxit terra, quia devastatum est frumentum, exaruit mustum, languet oleum; pudefacti sunt agricolae, ejularunt vinitores, super tritico et super hordeo, eo quod perierit messis agri, i 9-11;apud prophetam ibi agitur de vastatione boni et veri, ut constat ex sequentibus ibi; quare per `frumentum, mustum, triticum, et hordeum,' non illa {2}significantur, sed spiritualia {3}, ita per `triticum' bonum interius, et per `hordeum' bonum exterius; similiter `hordeum' apud Ezechielem iv 9; et in Deut. viii 8: in Libro Judicum, Cum Guideon pervenit ad castra, vir recensens socio suo somnium, et dicebat, Ecce somniando somniavi, et ecce tostus panis hordeorum volvebat se ad castra Midianis, et venit ad tentorium usque, ac percussit illud ut concideret, et evertit illud sursum, atque sic cecidit tentorium, vii 13;
per `Midianem' significantur qui in vero simplicis boni sunt, ac in opposito sensu, qui non in vitae bono, n. 3242, 4756, 4788, 6773; hoc bonum est bonum exterioris naturalis, et significatur per `panem hordeorum'; at jucundum voluptatum, si pro fine {4}, loco boni illius, est quod significatur per `tostum panem hordeorum'; {5}est status quem tunc repraesentabant Midianitae, qui ibi describitur. @1 i sit$ @2 intelliguntur$ @3 i quae significant$ @4 i vitae$ @5 estque$