Bible Roadmap

Age 11 of 14

Intertestamental Period

c. 430 – c. 5 BC

Dating: Josephus; 1 Maccabees (historical source)

Relevance

No books of Scripture were written in this period. History is known from Josephus and other ancient writers, including 1 Maccabees (a historical source, not Scripture). Judea passed from Persia to the Greeks, the Ptolemies, the Seleucids, the Hasmoneans, and Rome. The feast of the dedication from this period is mentioned in . "When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son" ().

Key events

  1. 333–331 BC · fixed by historical record

    Alexander conquers Persia

    Alexander defeats Darius III at Issus (333 BC) and Gaugamela (331 BC). Not recorded in Scripture.

  2. 323 BC · fixed by historical record

    Death of Alexander; empire divided

    After Alexander's death his generals divide the empire; Judea falls under the Ptolemies of Egypt.

  3. c. 3rd century BC

    Greek translation of the Law (Septuagint)

    The books of Moses are translated into Greek at Alexandria.

  4. 198 BC · fixed by historical record

    Judea passes to the Seleucids

    Antiochus III defeats the Ptolemaic army at Panium.

  5. 167 BC · fixed by historical record

    Antiochus IV desecrates the Temple

    Antiochus IV Epiphanes sets up a pagan altar in the Temple and forbids Jewish worship.

  6. 164 BC · fixed by historical record

    Temple rededicated

    Judas Maccabeus cleanses and rededicates the Temple. The feast of the dedication is mentioned in .

  7. 142 BC · fixed by historical record

    Hasmonean independence

    Simon the Hasmonean secures Judea's independence from Seleucid rule.

  8. 63 BC · fixed by historical record

    Pompey takes Jerusalem

    The Roman general Pompey captures Jerusalem and enters the Temple; Judea comes under Rome.

  9. 40/37 BC

    Herod made king of Judea

    The Roman senate names Herod king (40 BC); he takes Jerusalem in 37 BC.

  10. c. 20/19 BC

    Herod begins rebuilding the Temple

    Herod begins his rebuilding of the Temple. The Jews later say it was "forty and six years" in building ().

Rulers and empires

336–323 BC

Alexander the Great

305–282 BC

Ptolemy I Soter

222–187 BC

Antiochus III the Great

175–164 BC

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

142–134 BC

Simon

134–104 BC

John Hyrcanus I

63 BC

Pompey

37 – c. 4 BC

Herod the Great

Key people

Leader of the revolt

Judas Maccabeus

Led the Jewish revolt against Antiochus IV and rededicated the Temple in 164 BC.

Books written during or about this period

No books of Scripture were written in this period.