A hydraulic control device for controlling a boom-arm combined operation in an excavator includes a boom low-speed control spool and an arm high-speed control spool provided on parallel lines for receiving hydraulic flow from a second hydraulic pump via the parallel lines. A boom priority valve is provided on the parallel line interconnecting the second hydraulic pump and the arm high-speed control spool for throttling the parallel line to cause the hydraulic flow of the pump to be supplied to the boom low-speed control spool prior to the arm high-speed control spool. The boom priority valve has a pressure receiving part remaining in fluid communication with a boom pilot valve through a boom priority control signal line and a variable orifice section for reducing an opening area of the parallel line in proportion to the magnitude of a boom priority control signal pressure delivered to the pressure receiving part.