41:17 And they departed. The people left in the land continued their rejection of God’s will. Ishmael slew Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, then Johanan routed Ishmael, but—for fear of the Chaldeans—prepared to flee to Egypt. Many of the Jews had been hoping that Egypt would save them from Babylon, but Jeremiah had warned them not to trust in Egypt. Instead, he said they should submit to Babylon. Now, after all that had happened, even the remnant was still making the same mistake.

41:17 to enter into Egypt. Events had made Johanan a sort of de facto governor of Judah. He was afraid the Babylonians would not approve, so he prepared to take his people into Egypt for protection.