Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 30:26

"Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound." — Isaiah 30:26 (ASV)

Moreover - In addition to all the blessings that are enumerated above.

The light of the moon - Light is in the Scriptures an emblem of purity, intelligence, happiness, and prosperity; as darkness is an emblem of ignorance, calamity, and sin. This figure is often used by poets. Thus Horace:

Soles melius nitent.

Carm. liv.: Od. v. 8.

The figure of augmenting light to denote the blessings of religion, and especially of the gospel, is often employed by Isaiah (Compare to the notes at Isaiah 2:5; Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 10:17; Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 58:8, 58:10; Isaiah 60:1, 60:3, 60:19-20). The sense of this passage is that in those future days the light would shine intensely and without obscurity. Although they had been walking in the light of the true religion, their light would be greatly augmented, and they would have much clearer views of the divine character and government.

There can be little or no room to doubt that this refers to the times of the Messiah. It is language Isaiah commonly uses to describe those times, and there is a fullness and splendor about it that can suit no other period.

There is nothing in the connection, moreover, that forbids such an interpretation of the passage.

Shall be as the light of the sun - It will be clear, bright, and intense. The sense is that there will be a great increase of light, as if the light of the moon were suddenly increased to the brightness of the meridian sun.

Shall be sevenfold - Seven times as intense and clear as usual, as if the light of seven days were concentrated into one. The word 'seven' in the Scriptures often denotes a complete or perfect number; and indicates "completeness" or "perfections."

The phrase as the light of seven days, Lowth supposes, is a gloss that has been introduced into the text from the margin. The reasons he adduces for this supposition are that it is missing in the Septuagint and that it interrupts the rhythmical construction.

But this is not sufficient authority for rejecting the words from the text. No manuscript authority is adduced for rejecting them in this manner, and they are found in the Vulgate, the Chaldee, and the Syriac. They are missing, however, in the Arabic.

In the day - Vitringa supposes that this refers to the time of the Maccabees; but although there may be a reference to that time, the idea is evidently designed to include the future times of the Messiah. The sense of the prophet is that after the great calamities that were to befall them, there would be a time of glorious prosperity, and the design of this was to comfort them with the assurance that their nation would not be wholly destroyed.

Bindeth up the breach of his people - Or the wound. The calamity that would come upon them is thus represented as a wound inflicted on them by the stripes of punishment (See the notes at Isaiah 1:5). Yahweh would heal it by restoring them to their own land and to their former privileges.