“Great trouble came upon Israel, such as had not come since the day when prophets no more appeared among them (ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας οὐκ ὤφθη προφήτης αὐτοῖς)” (1 Macc 9:27). A similar notion appears in 1 Macc 4:44–46 and 1 Macc 14:41.6 2 Apocalypse of Baruch (dating from the half century after the destruction of the Second Temple) states this quite clearly as well: “Our fathers in former times and former generations had helpers, righteous prophets, and holy men.… But now, the righteous have