Person Old Testament
Johanan
Also known as Jonathan
Johanan served as a high priest during the Persian period, as recorded in the genealogies of the priests and Levites. Mentioned in 3 verses across 1 book, first at Nehemiah 12:11.
Why it matters. A high priest during the Persian period
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Johanan
Johanan is mentioned in Nehemiah 12 as a high priest who served during the Persian period. In the genealogies of the priests and Levites, Johanan is listed as the son of Joiada and the father of Jaddua (Neh.12.11). He is also mentioned in the context of the priests who were recorded as heads of their fathers' houses during the reigns of Darius the Persian, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes (Neh.12.22-23).
These genealogical records were important for establishing the legitimacy and continuity of the priesthood after the return from the Babylonian exile. Johanan's inclusion in these lists indicates that he played a significant role in leading the priesthood and maintaining religious order during a crucial period in Jewish history. However, no additional details are provided about his specific actions or achievements as high priest.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 3 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.