In Jewish legend prophecy withdrew from the world when the Temple, God's link to His people, was destroyed. The prophets alive at the time remained, but the easy communion with God died out with them.
God stopped speaking for 400 years because there were no prophets to deliver his messages during that time period.
In God's will
The period of silence from God for 400 years is traditionally believed to be between the last writings of the Old Testament prophets and the birth of Jesus Christ, as there are no recorded prophetic messages during this time in the Bible.
The Bible verse referring to "God being silent for 400 years" signifies a period of no direct communication or intervention from God in human affairs. This period is seen as a time of waiting and anticipation for a new revelation or intervention from God.
God was silent for 400 years in the Bible because it was a period known as the intertestamental period, where there were no prophets or recorded divine messages. This time of silence ended with the arrival of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.
400 years
The concept of the word "God" is ancient, dating back thousands of years in various cultures and religions.
For about 400 years.
The word came first by a long margin, around 400 years.
These are the years in which there was no Prophet or teacher ordained of God and thus no fresh 'word of the Lord' or revelation. Thus in this sense there was 'silence' although of course God was still speaking through the ongoing relevance of previous messages.
There are 100 years in a century. Therefore, 400 years is equal to 400/100 = 4 centuries.
The interval between the Testaments is often referred to as "The Silent Centuries."