400 BC
The final prophecy of Malachi marked the close of the Old Testament prophets. His words foretold the coming of Elijah before the great day of the Lord β a promise fulfilled in John the Baptist.
After Malachi, a period of silence fell upon Israel. No prophet spoke for approximately 400 years, until the angel Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah in the temple. This 'silent period' saw the rise of the Maccabees, the construction of the Second Temple, and the flourishing of Jewish scholarship under Roman rule.