THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD - THE SILENT YEARS

What to Know

• What It Is – Mikveh’s Changing Meaning - The Hebrew word mikveh carries two key meanings in the Old Testament: a “collection of waters” in early writings and “hope” in later prophetic texts. These dual meanings reveal God’s layered use of mikveh to teach both physical purification and spiritual expectation — concepts essential for understanding the origins of baptism.

• The Silent Years and the Rise of Ritual Immersion - Between Malachi and the ministry of John the Baptist lies a period of roughly 400 years without prophetic writings. Known as the intertestamental period, this era profoundly shaped Jewish religious life. During this time, the practice of ritual immersion became firmly established through the widespread use of mikveh pools across Israel.

• Mikveh Pools in Jewish Life - Beginning in the 2nd century B.C., mikveh pools — stone baths used for ritual purity through immersion — became a defining feature of Jewish communities. Archaeologists have discovered more than 700 mikvoth in Israel alone, with 200 in Jerusalem and 50 near the Temple Mount. Their concentration around the Temple emphasizes their centrality, as countless Jewish pilgrims required ritual cleansing before participating in sacrifices and worship.

• Why Mikveh Pools Matter for Understanding Baptism - The strong cultural presence of mikveh pools meant that ritual immersion was already deeply woven into Jewish life by the time Jesus and John the Baptist began their ministries. This explains why the New Testament does not introduce or define baptism at the outset—its foundations were already understood through centuries of ritual immersion tied to purity, repentance, and preparation to approach God.

• A Key Connection to Baptism - When the New Testament speaks of baptism, it builds on the established imagery of the mikveh: immersion in water leading to spiritual cleansing and renewed hope. Recognizing mikveh’s development—from “waters,” to “hope,” to ritual immersion—helps reveal the full significance of baptism as both a physical act and a spiritual symbol rooted in ancient Israel.

We have reviewed the term mikveh and see that it has the meaning of “a collection [of waters]” in early Old Testament writings, but “hope” in later Old Testament writings. Both definitions and their usage give us a deeper understanding to what God was conveying when he inspired mikveh to be used in these varying ways. However, although it is not stated in the Old Testament and only came later during the time between the Old and New Testament, another usage of mikveh needs to be understood to recognize its significance and how it relates to baptism entirely. For roughly four hundred years, spanning the ministry of Malachi to John the Baptist, Jewish tradition says no prophet spoke in the land of Israel. Jewish tradition considers this time the silent years from God and scholars refer to this period as the intertestamental period. Even though there were no Biblical writings during this time, many important events happened during this period, which influenced Jewish thinking and prepared the world for Jesus Christ’s arrival and His gospel.

An ancient ritual bath (mikveh pool) outside of Jerusalem. 

One such important event from this period was the adoption of the mikveh pool into Jewish life. Only found in Israel, mikveh pools (or mikvoth) began to appear throughout the land of Israel and in historic communities of the Jewish diaspora, starting in the 2nd century B.C. According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, mikvoth are baths used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. They can be found in almost any ancient Jewish community due to their strong ties to ritual purity within the Jewish faith. To give you a sense of their importance, according to the publication The Times of Israel, 700 mikvoth have been discovered throughout Israel. Of the 700 mikvoth discovered so far, 200 are found in Jerusalem, and of these, 50 are located near the Temple Mount. The location of these mikvoth, and their strong presence in Jerusalem and near the Temple Mount, clearly show their role and importance. Jerusalem, and especially the Temple Mount, was the center of the sacrificial system during the Old Testament and through the intertestamental period. As a result, there could be thousands of Jewish pilgrims in need of ritual cleansing at any time of the day, with many more thousands above that in need around the holy days.

Interactive Map of Excavated Mikvehs
For those interested in exploring the full distribution of known and excavated mikvehs in West Bank and East Jerusalem, view the interactive map available here.

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Discover the Deeper Meaning Behind Baptism and the Hope We Have in Christ

1. Baptism: Where Our Hope Begins - Discover why Jesus Christ’s baptism is recorded in all four gospels and how baptism becomes the starting point of the believer’s transformation, symbolizing repentance, cleansing, and new life in Christ.

2. Ritual Cleansing in the Old Testament - Explore how ancient Israel used water for purification — from Sinai preparation to priestly consecration — and how these rituals foreshadowed the spiritual cleansing God desires for His people.

3. The Meaning of Mikveh — From Water to Hope - Learn how the Hebrew word mikveh evolves from “a collection of waters” to “hope,” and how prophets like Jeremiah reveal that God Himself is our Mikveh — the true Hope of Israel.

4. Mikveh Pools & Jewish Life Before Christ - Archaeology uncovers hundreds of ancient mikveh pools across Israel. See how mikvoth shaped Jewish purification practices and prepared the world for the Messiah and His message.

5. Jesus’ Miracles at the Mikveh Pools - The healings at Bethesda and Siloam were not random — both pools were mikvoth. Understand how Jesus showed that He, not the water, is the source of healing and hope.

6. Did Jesus Simply Turn Water Into Wine? - A deeper look at His first miracle reveals the entire plan of God: the transformation of Old Covenant purification water into wine representing Christ’s blood, the New Covenant, and the hope of eternal life.

7. The Fulfillment of Mikveh — Jesus Christ as Our Living Hope - Trace how the apostles understood Jesus as the fulfillment of mikveh and the One through whom God’s promise of eternal life is made possible.