Johanan — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Name meaning “Yahweh has been gracious.” It occurs also in the alternate form of Jehohanan. The name John is derived from these names. Several men of this name appear in the OT.

1. Son of Kareah (2 Kgs 25:23). Johanan was a Jewish leader, a contemporary of Jeremiah, and supportive of Gedaliah, the governor of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem (Jer 40:8, 13 OET JER 40:8 · OET JER 40:13). He forewarned Gedaliah of Ishmael’s plan to assassinate him (vv 13-16). When the warning was ignored and Johanan was refused permission to execute the would-be assassin, Gedaliah was murdered. Johanan took vengeance against Ishmael and rescued those who had been captured (41:14-18), but he was unable to pursue Ishmael. In fear of a Babylonian reprisal, he made plans to seek asylum in Egypt. Jeremiah, whom he consulted, gave God’s word against this move (42:1-22), but Johanan was unwilling to take counsel (43:2-3). He led the Judeans, including Jeremiah and Baruch, to Egypt (vv 5-7).

Show passage in OET: KI2 25:23

OET-RV KI2 25:23

23 When all the army captains and their men heard that the Babylonian king had appointed Gedalyah, they came to Gedalyah at Mitspah. This was Netanyah’s son Yishmael (Ishmael), Kareah’s son Yohanan, Tanhumet’s son Serayah the Netofati, and the Ma’akati’s son Ya’azanyah, along with their men.

OET-LV KI2 25:23

23 And_ all _of the _commanders _of the _armies they and_the_men _they _heard if/because _that the _king _of Bāⱱel he _had _appointed DOM Gədal^yāh and_they _came to Gədal^yāh (the)_Miʦpāh and_Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh and_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_Sərā^yāh the _son _of Tanḩumet the_Nəţofātī and_Yaʼₐzan^yāh/(Jaazaniah) the _son _of the_Maˊₐkātī they and_men _of_their.

Show passage in OET: JER 40:8; JER 40:13

OET-RV JER 40:8

8 So they went to Gedalyah at Mitspah. Those who went were Netanyah’s son Yishmael (Ishmael), Kareah’s sons Yohanan and Yonatan (Jonathan), Tanhumet’s son Serayah, the sons of Ofay the Netofati, and Ma’akati’s son Yezanyah, and their men.

OET-RV JER 40:13

13 Some time later, Kareah’s son Yonatan (Jonathan) and all the army commanders from the countryside, came to Gedalyah at Mitspah,

OET-LV JER 40:8

8 And_they _came to Gədal^yāh to_(the)_Miʦpāh and_Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh and_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) and_Yōnātān/(Yəhōnātān/(Jonathan)) the _sons _of Qārēaḩ and_Sərā^yāh the _son _of Tanḩumet and_the _sons of _ˊŌfay/(Ephai) the_Nəţofātī and_Yəzan^yāh/(Jezaniah) the _son _of the_Maˊₐkātī they and_men _of_their.

OET-LV JER 40:13

13 And_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_all the _commanders _of the _armies which in _the_field they _came to Gədal^yāh to_(the)_Miʦpāh.

Show passage in OET: JER 40:13–16

OET-RV JER 40:13

13 Some time later, Kareah’s son Yonatan (Jonathan) and all the army commanders from the countryside, came to Gedalyah at Mitspah,

OET-RV JER 40:14

14 and asked him, “Do you realise that the Amoni King Ba’alis has sent Netanyah’s son Yishmael (Ishmael) to assassinate you?” However Ahikam’s son Gedalyah didn’t believe them

OET-RV JER 40:15

15 so Kareah’s son Yohanan spoke privately to Gedalyah at Mitspah, “Allow me to go and kill Netanyah’s Yishmael. No one will suspect me. Why should he kill you? Why allow all of Yehudah (Judah) that has been gathered to you to be scattered and the remnant destroyed?”

OET-RV JER 40:16

16 However Ahikam’s son Gedalyah replied to Kareah’s son Yohanan, “No, don’t do that, because you’re lying about Yishmael.”

OET-LV JER 40:13

13 And_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_all the _commanders _of the _armies which in _the_field they _came to Gədal^yāh to_(the)_Miʦpāh.

OET-LV JER 40:14

14 And_they _said to_him/it at_all _(know) do _you _know if/because _that Baˊₐlīş the _king _of the _people _of ˊAmmōn he _has _sent DOM Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh to_strike_you life and_not he _believed to/for_them Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām.

OET-LV JER 40:15

15 And_Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ he _said to Gədal^yāh in_secrecy at_Miʦpāh to_say let _me _go please and_let _me _strike _down DOM Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh and_anyone not he _will _know to/for_what will_he _strike _you life and_ all _of Yəhūdāh who_have_gathered to_you _will _they _be _scattered and_ the _remnant _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) _will _it _perish.

OET-LV JER 40:16

16 And_ Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām _he/it _said to Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ do _not do DOM the_thing the_this if/because falsehood you are_speaking concerning Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael).

Show passage in OET: JER 41:14–18

OET-RV JER 41:14

14 So all those people that Yishmael had captured were freed and went back with Kareah’s son Yohanan.

OET-RV JER 41:15

15 Unfortunately, Netanyah’s son Yishmael escaped from Yohanan, along with eight of his men, and they went to the Amonim.

OET-RV JER 41:16

16 Then Kareah’s son Yohanan and all the army commanders with him, took all the people from Mitspah who’d been rescued from Netanyah’s son Yishmael after he’d killed Ahikam’s son Gedalyah. They took those warriors, and women and children and court-officials that they’d saved at Giveon,

OET-RV JER 41:17

17 and went and stayed at Gerut-Kimham near Beyt -Lehem (Bethlehem), getting ready to go to Mitsrayim (Egypt)

OET-RV JER 41:18

18 because of the Babylonians. (They worried about their response because Netanyah’s son Yishmael had assassinated Ahikam’s son Gedalyah who’d been appointed in the region by the Babylonian king.)

OET-LV JER 41:14

14 And_ all _of the_people which he _had _taken _captive Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) from (the)_Miʦpāh _they _turned _round and_they _turned _back and_they _went to Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ.

OET-LV JER 41:15

15 And_Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh he _escaped with_eight men from_face/in _front _of Yōḩānān and_he/it _went to the _people _of ˊAmmōn.

OET-LV JER 41:16

16 And_ Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_all the _commanders _of the _armies who with_him/it _he/it _took DOM all _of the _rest _of the _people which he _had _brought _back from_with Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh from (the)_Miʦpāh after he _had _struck _down DOM Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām men the _men _of (the)_war and_women and_little _one[s] and_court-officials whom he _had _brought _back from_Giⱱˊōn.

OET-LV JER 41:17

17 And_they _went and_they _lived at_Gēriūt _of mmm which is_beside Bēyt- leḩem to_go to_go Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

OET-LV JER 41:18

18 From_face/in _front _of the_ones_from _Kasdiy if/because they _were _afraid from_their_face/front if/because Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) the _son _of Nətan^yāh he _had _struck _down DOM Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām whom the _king _of Bāⱱel he _had _appointed on _the_earth.

Show passage in OET: JER 43:2–3

OET-RV JER 43:2

2 Hoshayah’s son Azaryah, Kareah’s son Yohanan, and all the arrogant men told Yirmiyah, “You’re lying to us. Our god Yahweh didn’t send you to tell us not to go and live in Mitsrayim (Egypt).

OET-RV JER 43:3

3 It’s because Neriyah’s son Baruk is inciting you against us so that we’ll stay here and get captured by the Babylonians to be either put to death or be taken as exiles to Bavel (Babylon).”

OET-LV JER 43:2

2 And_ ˊAzar^yāh the _son _of Hōshaˊₐ^yāh and_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_all the_people (the)_arrogant _he/it _said saying to Yirmə^yāh falsehood you are_speaking not he_has _sent _you YHWH god _of_our to_say not you(pl)_must _go Miʦrayim/(Egypt) to_sojourn there.

OET-LV JER 43:3

3 If/because Bārūk the _son _of Nēriy^yāh is_inciting you against_us so _as to _give us in_the _hand _of the_ones_from _Kasdiy to_put _to _death us and_to_take _into _exile us Bāⱱel.

Show passage in OET: JER 43:5–7

OET-RV JER 43:5

5 Then Yohanan and all the army commanders gathered all those remaining Yehudi (Jew) people together, who’d come from all the other countries that they’d previously been driven away to and returned to live in Yehudah.

OET-RV JER 43:6

6 That included men and women, children, the king’s daughters, and all the people that Nevuzar-Adan, the king’s chief bodyguard Nevuzar-Adan had left with Gedalyah (son of Ahikam, son of Shafan), and including the prophet Yirmiyah and Neriyah’s son Baruk.

OET-RV JER 43:7

7 Then they went to Mitsrayim because they took no notice of Yahweh’s instructions and they arrived at Tahfanhes.

OET-LV JER 43:5

5 And_ Yōḩānān the _son _of Qārēaḩ and_all the _commanders _of the _armies _he/it _took DOM all _of the _remnant _of Yəhūdāh who they _had _come _back from_all the_nations where they _had _been _driven _away there to_sojourn in_land of _Yəhūdāh.

OET-LV JER 43:6

6 DOM the_men and_DOM the_women and_DOM the _little_one[s] and_DOM the _daughters _of the_king and_DOM every _of the_living _creatures whom Nəⱱūzarʼₐdān the_chief _of the_bodyguards he _had _left with Gədal^yāh the _son _of ʼAḩīqām the _son _of Shāfān and_DOM Yirmə^yāh/(Jeremiah) the_prophet and_DOM Bārūk the _son _of Nēriy^yāh.

OET-LV JER 43:7

7 And_they _came the _land _of Miʦrayim if/because not they _had _listened to_the _voice _of YHWH and_they _came to Taḩpanḩēş.

Jump to OET KI2 25:23 section.

Jump to OET JER 40:8 section. · OET JER 40:13 section.

Jump to OET JER 40:13–16 section.

Jump to OET JER 41:14–18 section.

Jump to OET JER 43:2–3 section.

Jump to OET JER 43:5–7 section.

2. Eldest son of Josiah, king of Judah (1 Chr 3:15). Possibly he died young, for he did not succeed his father on the throne, even though he was the firstborn.

Show passage in OET: CH1 3:15

OET-RV CH1 3:15

15 Yoshiyah had four sons: The oldest was Yohanan, second was Yehoyakim, third was Tsidkiyah (Zedekiah), and the fourth was Shalum.

OET-LV CH1 3:15

15 And_the _sons of _Yoʼshiy^yāh the_firstborn was_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the_second was_Yəhōyāqīm/(Jehoiakim) the_third was_Tsidqiy^yāh/(Zedekiah) the_fourth was_Shallūm.

Jump to OET CH1 3:15 section.

3. Son of Elioenai (1 Chr 3:24), a descendant of Jehoiachin, one of the last kings of Judah.

Show passage in OET: CH1 3:24

OET-RV CH1 3:24

24 Elyehoeynay’s seven sons were Hodavyah, Elyashiv, Pelayah, Akuv, Yohanan, Delayah, and Anani.

OET-LV CH1 3:24

24 And_the _sons of _ʼElyəhōˊēynay were_Hōdav^yāh and_ʼElyāshiyⱱ and_Pəlā^yāh and_ˊAqqūⱱ and_Yōḩānān and_Dəlā^yāh and_ˊAnānī seven.

Jump to OET CH1 3:24 section.

4. Grandson of Ahimaaz. He was the father of Azariah, who served as high priest in the temple of Solomon (1 Chr 6:9-10).

Show passage in OET: CH1 6:9–10

OET-RV CH1 6:9

9 Ahima’ats was the father of Azaryah, and Azaryah was the father of Yohanan.

OET-RV CH1 6:10

10 Yohanan was the father of Azaryah. Azaryah was a priest in the temple that Shelomoh (Solomon) built in Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

OET-LV CH1 5:35

35  And_ʼAḩīmaˊaʦ he _fathered DOM ˊAzar^yāh and_ˊAzar^yāh he _fathered DOM Yōḩānān/(Johanan).

OET-LV CH1 5:36

36  And_Yōḩānān he _fathered DOM ˊAzar^yāh he was _the _one_who he _served _as _a _priest in_house which Shəlomoh/(Solomon) he _had _built in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

Jump to OET CH1 6:9–10 section.

5. Warrior from Benjamin’s tribe. He joined David’s special forces of 30 men at Ziklag (1 Chr 12:4). The special forces could shoot arrows and sling stones with either hand (v 2).

Show passage in OET: CH1 12:4

OET-RV CH1 12:4

4 Yishmaeyah (from Giveon city, who was the leader of the thirty greatest warriors), Yirmiyah (Jeremiah), Yahaziel, Yohanan, Yozavad (from Gederah city),

OET-LV CH1 12:4

4 And_Yishmaˊ^yāh/(Ishmaiah) the_Giⱱˊōnite a _mighty_man among_thirty and_over the_thirty.

OET-LV CH1 12:5

5  And_Yirmə^yāh/(Jeremiah) and_Yaḩₐzī^ʼēl/(Jahaziel) and_Yōḩānān/(Johanan) and_Yōzāⱱād/(Jozabad) the_Gədērātī.

Show passage in OET: CH1 12:2

OET-RV CH1 12:2

2 armed with bows. Some used slings right-handed and some left-handed, as well as shooting arrows with a bow. They were from the Benyamin tribe, Sha’ul’s relatives.)

OET-LV CH1 12:2

2 They_were_equipped _of bow using _right _hand and_using _left _hand with_stones and_with_arrows with_bow some_of _the _relatives _of Shāʼūl from_Binyāmīn.

Jump to OET CH1 12:4 section.

Jump to OET CH1 12:2 section.

6. Gadite who joined David in the wilderness (1 Chr 12:8-12). He was also specially trained for war, in that he could handle both shield and spear, could endure hardship, and was quick on his feet.

Show passage in OET: CH1 12:8–12

OET-RV CH1 12:8

8 Some Gadim joined David at the wilderness fortress. They were very strong army warriors, ready for battle with shields and spears. Their faces were fierce like lions, but they could run across the hills like gazelles.

OET-RV CH1 12:9

9 Their leader was Ezer, then Ovadyah (Obadiah), then Eliav.

OET-RV CH1 12:10

10 Next was Mishmanah, then Yirmiyah,

OET-RV CH1 12:11

11 Atay, Eliel,

OET-RV CH1 12:12

12 Yohanan, Elzavad,

OET-LV CH1 12:9

9  And_from the_Gādī[s] they _separated _themselves to Dāvid to_stronghold wilderness_towards_the the _mighty_men_of (the)_strength men _of war for_battle who_deployed _of (of)_shield and_spear and_were_faces _of a _lion faces _of_their and_like_gazelles on the_mountains to_hastening.

OET-LV CH1 12:10

10  ˊĒzer was_the_chief ˊOⱱad^yāh the_second ʼElīʼāⱱ was_the_third.

OET-LV CH1 12:11

11  Mishmāˊnnah the_fourth Yirmə^yāh was_the_fifth.

OET-LV CH1 12:12

12  ˊAttay the_sixth ʼElī^ʼēl was_the_seventh.

OET-LV CH1 12:13

13  Yōḩānān was_the_eighth ʼElzāⱱād was_the_ninth.

Jump to OET CH1 12:8–12 section.

7. Ephraimite whose son was a leader in the northern Kingdom during the regime of Pekah and protested against the enslavement of 200,000 Judeans (2 Chr 28:12; NLT “Jehohanan”), who were subsequently freed.

Show passage in OET: CH2 28:12

OET-RV CH2 28:12

12 Then some of the leaders of the Efrayim (Ephraim) tribe took action and confronted those returning from battle: Azaryah (Yehohanan’s son), Berekyah (Meshilemot’s son), Yehizkiyah (Shalum’s son), and Amasa (Hadlay’s son)

OET-LV CH2 28:12

12 And_ men of_the _chiefs _of the _descendants _of ʼEfrayim ˊAzar^yāh the _son _of Yəhōḩānān/(Jehohanan) Berek^yāh the _son _of Məshillēmōt and_Jechizkiah the _son _of Shallūm and_ˊAmāsāʼ the _son _of Ḩadlay _they _rose _up on the_(ones _who)_went from the_war.

Jump to OET CH2 28:12 section.

8. Son of Hakkatan (“the younger” or “the smaller”). The designation may be read as “Johanan the younger.” He was head of a family who claimed their descent from Azgad (Ezr 8:12). He joined Ezra with 110 men in traveling from Babylonia to Judah.

Show passage in OET: EZR 8:12

OET-RV EZR 8:12

• 12 from the descendants of Azgad: Hakatan’s son Yohanan and one hundred and ten other men,

OET-LV EZR 8:12

12 And_of_the _descendants _of ˊAzgād Yōḩānān/(Johanan) the _son _of Hakkatan and_with_him were_one _hundred and_ten the_males.

Jump to OET EZR 8:12 section.

9. Priest under Joiakim. He was one of the priests during whose ministry the Levites and priests formally registered (Neh 12:22). He is alternately called Jehohanan in Ezra 10:6 and Jonathan in Neh 12:11. See Jehohanan #4.