# Intertestamental period

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The **intertestamental period** ([Protestant](/source/Protestantism)) or **deuterocanonical period** ([Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church) and [Eastern Orthodox](/source/Eastern_Orthodoxy)) is the period of time between the events of the [protocanonical books](/source/Protocanonical_books) and the [New Testament](/source/New_Testament). It is considered to cover roughly 400 years, spanning from the ministry of [Malachi](/source/Malachi) (c. 420 BC) to the appearance of [John the Baptist](/source/John_the_Baptist) in the early [1st century AD](/source/Christianity_in_the_1st_century). It is roughly contiguous with the [Second Temple period](/source/Second_Temple_period) (516 BC–70 AD) and encompasses the age of [Hellenistic Judaism](/source/Hellenistic_Judaism).

It is known by some Protestants as the "400 Silent Years" because according to their faith, it was a period when no new prophets were raised and God revealed nothing new to the [Jewish people](/source/Jews).[1] Many of the [deuterocanonical books](/source/Deuterocanonical_books), accepted as scripture by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy, were written during this time, as were many [pseudepigraphal works](/source/Pseudepigrapha), the [Biblical apocrypha](/source/Biblical_apocrypha) and [Jewish apocrypha](/source/Jewish_apocrypha). An understanding of the events of the intertestamental period provides [historical and literary context for the New Testament](/source/Historical_background_of_the_New_Testament).

## Significant events

- Beginnings of the [Jewish diaspora](/source/Jewish_diaspora) and [Hellenistic Judaism](/source/Hellenistic_Judaism)
- Establishment of the first [synagogues](/source/Synagogue)
- Change in common language from [Biblical Hebrew](/source/Biblical_Hebrew) to [Aramaic](/source/Aramaic) and [Hellenistic Greek](/source/Koine_Greek)
- The events of the [Maccabean Revolt](/source/Maccabean_Revolt), as documented in the [Books of the Maccabees](/source/Books_of_the_Maccabees)
- Reign of the [Hasmonean](/source/Hasmonean_dynasty) and [Herodian](/source/Herodian_dynasty) dynasties, followed by [Roman rule](/source/Judaea_(Roman_province))
- Production of the Greek [Septuagint](/source/Septuagint), the first translation of the Hebrew scriptures into another language[2]
- Writing of the [Dead Sea Scrolls](/source/Dead_Sea_Scrolls), the rediscovery of which became central to modern and contemporary [Biblical criticism](/source/Biblical_criticism)[2]
- Writing of the [deuterocanonical books](/source/Deuterocanonical_books) ([biblical apocrypha](/source/Biblical_apocrypha)) and [pseudepigrapha](/source/Pseudepigrapha)

## See also

- [Babylonian captivity](/source/Babylonian_captivity)
- [Dating the Bible](/source/Dating_the_Bible)
- [Development of the Hebrew Bible canon](/source/Development_of_the_Hebrew_Bible_canon)
- [Development of the New Testament canon](/source/Development_of_the_New_Testament_canon)
- [Development of the Old Testament canon](/source/Development_of_the_Old_Testament_canon)
- [History of ancient Israel and Judah](/source/History_of_ancient_Israel_and_Judah)
- [Kings of Judah](/source/Kings_of_Judah)
- [Missing years (Jewish calendar)](/source/Missing_years_(Jewish_calendar))
- [Samaritan Pentateuch](/source/Samaritan_Pentateuch)

## References

1. Lambert, Lance. ["400 Silent Years: Anything but Silent"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140222135532/http://www.whyisrael.org/2010/12/09/400-silent-years-anything-but-silent-part-1/). Archived from [the original](http://www.whyisrael.org/2010/12/09/400-silent-years-anything-but-silent-part-1/) on February 22, 2014. Retrieved 2012-09-21.

1. Brown, S. Kent & Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel (December 2014). ["The Lost 500 Years: From Malachi to John the Baptist"](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/12/the-lost-500-years-from-malachi-to-john-the-baptist?lang=eng). *[Ensign](/source/Ensign_(LDS_magazine))*

## Further reading

- The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol 1, Page 457 "Literary Activity"
- Pfeiffer, Charles F. *Between the Testaments*. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1959. 132 p.
- Carroll, Benajah Harvey. [*Between the Testaments (PDF)*](https://web.archive.org/web/20150807064757/http://gbcwoodstock.com/eBooks/pdf/Carroll-Between.pdf). Woodstock, VA: Grace Baptist Church. p. 9. Archived from [the original](http://gbcwoodstock.com/eBooks/pdf/Carroll-Between.pdf) on August 7, 2015.

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