Johanan (son of Kareah)

Biblical Account

After Babylon captured Jerusalem, it appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam as governor over the land of Judah, as recorded in both 2 Kings and Jeremiah. The captains of the forces who had been scattered in the fields then came to him at Mizpah, and Johanan the son of Kareah was among them (2 Kings 25:23). Jeremiah 40:8 records that he came together with his brother Jonathan.

Johanan and the captains told Gedaliah that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, had sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to kill him (Jeremiah 40:13–14). Johanan secretly asked permission to slay Ishmael without anyone knowing, but Gedaliah forbade him, saying that the report was false (Jeremiah 40:15–16). In the end Ishmael killed Gedaliah and those who were with him at Mizpah, took the remaining people captive, and set out to cross over to Ammon.

When Johanan heard of this, he took his men and pursued Ishmael, overtaking him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. The captives returned to Johanan, and Ishmael escaped with eight men to Ammon (Jeremiah 41:11–15). Fearing reprisal from the Chaldeans, Johanan took the people and stayed at the habitation of Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go on into Egypt (Jeremiah 41:16–18).

Johanan and the captains then asked Jeremiah to seek the will of God for them, promising to obey the word of the LORD whether it was good or evil (Jeremiah 42:1–6). Ten days later Jeremiah delivered the word that they were to remain in the land of Judah and not go into Egypt (Jeremiah 42:7–22). But Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan, and all the proud men declared that Jeremiah was speaking falsely and claimed that Baruch had set him on against them. Johanan then led the remnant of Judah, including Jeremiah and Baruch, down to Tahpanhes in Egypt (Jeremiah 43:1–7).

Significance in the Bible

The story of Johanan stands at the center of the account of how the remnant left the land of Judah after the fall of the kingdom. The Book of Jeremiah portrays the episode as one in which the people sought God's will and promised obedience, only to reject His word afterward. It was also because of this decision that the prophet Jeremiah was taken to Egypt. Johanan is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Debate

Because Johanan tried to protect Gedaliah and recovered the captives, he can be regarded as a loyal and capable leader, and some consider his fear of Babylon understandable given the circumstances. The Book of Jeremiah, however, judges his choice to be disobedience. Opinions differ on whether "Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah," who appears with him in Jeremiah 42:1, is the same person as "Azariah the son of Hoshaiah" in 43:2. Accounts of how Jeremiah died in Egypt are later traditions and do not appear in the biblical text.

Several people in the Bible bear the name Johanan, and they should be distinguished from this figure. Examples include the firstborn son of Josiah (1 Chronicles 3:15) and the Johanan of the priestly line (1 Chronicles 6:9–10).