In spite of much failure in the kingdom of Judah, eight chapters tell of the commendable reign of King Hezekiah. In the remarkable chapter 29 of Second Chronicles, we see exceptional faithfulness in this young king of 25 years. "He opened the doors of the house of the Lord," had them "carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place," and made confession of the shameful failures of the past. "They have shut up the doors... and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings... to God... Be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before Him... and that ye should minister unto Him and be incense burners"—this 'applies also to the burnt offerings", N.T. footnote. The joyful response was God-honoring. 'They sang praises with gladness... thank offerings and burnt offerings... threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams; and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord... the burnt offerings were in abundance."
Isaiah at the same time tells of the internal corruption and hypocrisy that God saw and which necessitated His having Judah and Jerusalem carried away into Babylon in B.C. 606 and 588 (2 Kings 24:12-15; 25:8-11; 2 Chron. 36).