JOHANAN jō hā’ nən (יﯴחָנָ֣ן, Yahu has been gracious; LXX ̓Ιωανάν, G2720; cf. Jehohanan). 1. Son of Kareah (2 Kings 25:23), and a contemporary of Jeremiah. One of the captains of Jewish forces in the open country during the conquest of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. After Gedaliah’s appointment as governor of the land, he came with other captains to Gedaliah at Mizpah (Jer 40:8, 13). He warned Gedaliah of Ishmael’s plan to assassinate him (Jer 40:14), and asked permission to slay Ishmael (40:15). Permission was refused (40:16). After Gedaliah’s murder, Johanan led the forces against Ishmael (41:11), overtook him at the great pool of Gibeon (41:12), and rescued everyone whom Ishmael had taken away by force (41:14). Ishmael and eight men escaped (41:15), but the rest of the people were brought back to Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem (41:16, 17), from where they intended to go to Egypt because they feared a Chaldean reprisal (41:17, 18). Johanan and others approached Jeremiah to ask his advice (42:1-6), promising they would listen to the voice of God. When he admonished them to stay in the land and not go to Egypt, they claimed he lied (43:2, 3). Johanan took all the people, including Jeremiah and Baruch, to Egypt (43:5-7).

2. The eldest son of King Josiah (1 Chron 3:15). He did not succeed his father on the throne.

3. Son of Elioenai, in David’s line (1 Chron 3:24).

4. Son of Azariah and father of the Azariah who served as priest in the Temple of Solomon (1 Chron 6:9, 10). 1 Kings 4:2 points to the father as the Solomonic high priest.

5. One of David’s “mighty men” from the tribe of Benjamin. They could shoot arrows and sling stones with either hand (1 Chron 12:4).

6. A man of the tribe of Gad who joined David in the wilderness (1 Chron 12:12). He is listed eighth in rank among the officers. These men were experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear.

7. Head (rōsh) of a family which descended from the sons of Azgad (Ezra 8:12). The phrase “son of Hakkatan” (הַקָּטָ֑ן, “the small” or “young”) may be read “Johanan the younger” or “Johanan the less.” He led one hundred and ten men who returned with Ezra from Babylonia to Judah.

8. Father of Azariah, one of the chiefs (rōsh) of the men of Ephraim who protested making slaves of captive people from Judah (2 Chron 28:12). The MT reads Jehohanan instead of Johanan.

9. Son of Tobiah and contemporary of Nehemiah (Neh 6:18). RSV and MT read Jehohanan.

10. Grandson of Eliashib the high priest, and high priest himself during the reign of Darius II (Neh 12:22, 23). The MT has Jehohanan. Cf. Nehemiah 12:11 where Jonathan should, perhaps, be read Johanan.

Bibliography H. H. Rowley, “The Chronological Order of Ezra and Nehemiah,” The Servant of the Lord (1952), 145-151; W. A. L. Elmslie, Exegesis of I Chronicles, IB, III (1954), 357 (2), 366 (4); R. A. Bowman, Exegesis of Ezra and Nehemiah, IB, III (1954), 632-634 (7), 723 (9), 654, 787, 789f. (10); J. M. Myers, I Chronicles, The Anchor Bible (1965), 20 (2), 22 (3), 96 (5, 6).