Who was Johanan, son of Kareah?

Johanan, the son of Kareah, was a significant figure following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. His story is documented in the Book of Jeremiah, where he rises as a military leader among the remaining people of Judah. Johanan’s actions illustrate his military leadership and refusal to trust God's guidance during this time.

Johanan's story begins after Jerusalem fell to King Nebuchadnezzar. Judah had been devastated. Its temple was destroyed. Many of its people were killed or exiled. In the aftermath, the Babylonians appointed Gedaliah as governor over the remaining people (Jeremiah 40:5–6). The people of Judah struggled to survive under Babylonian oversight.

Johanan, described as “the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country” (Jeremiah 40:7, ESV), was a military commander who had avoided capture. He advocated for Judah’s survival amid internal betrayals and external threats.

Johanan tried to warn Gedaliah of a plot against his life. Ishmael was a member of the royal family who had been secretly enlisted by the Ammonite king Baalis to kill Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:13–14). Johanan confronted Gedaliah at Mizpah and urged him to take action against Ishmael. He said, “Let me strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life so that all the remnant of Judah who are gathered about you will be scattered, and the remnant of Judah will perish?” (Jeremiah 40:15, ESV). However, Gedaliah dismissed Johanan. He refused to believe Ishmael would betray him.

Tragically, Johanan was right. Ishmael and his men killed Gedaliah, along with many others. They also took captives from Mizpah, including officials and ordinary people (Jeremiah 41:1–10). As a result, a fragile Judah was thrown into further disarray.

After the murder of Gedaliah, Johanan mobilized his forces to confront Ishmael. They caught up with him at the pool in Gibeon (Jeremiah 41:11–12). Although Ishmael managed to escape with a small group of followers, Johanan rescued the captives that Ishmael had taken. They included soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs (Jeremiah 41:13–16). Fearing Babylonian payback for Gedaliah’s death, Johanan led the rescued Judeans away from Mizpah and prepared for refuge in Egypt.

Johanan and others sought God's wisdom and guidance through the prophet Jeremiah. They wanted Jeremiah to ask the Lord what they should do and promised to follow any command they received (Jeremiah 42:1–6). After ten days, Jeremiah delivered God's message. He said the people should remain in Judah. If they trusted the Lord, He would protect and rebuild them (Jeremiah 42:7–12). However, disaster would come if they fled to Egypt (Jeremiah 42:13-–18).

Johanan and his men didn’t follow Jeremiah’s advice. They accused him of lying and claimed Baruch was influencing him. Despite Jeremiah's warnings, they decided to proceed with their plans to escape to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:1–3). Johanan led the remaining Judeans, Jeremiah, and Baruch to Egypt. They settled in Tahpanhes (Jeremiah 43:4–7).

Jeremiah continued to prophesy in Egypt. He warned that Babylon would invade Egypt and bring God’s judgment to all who fled there (Jeremiah 43:8–13). Despite his earlier role as a leader, Johanan did not heed God's instruction. He had some good moments, such as rescuing captives and confronting injustice. Yet, his refusal to trust God led to suffering.

Deuteronomy 28:1 reads, “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.” Likewise, Joshua 1:8 reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Johanan’s story is a reminder that faithfulness to God and His Word is not negotiable.