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Zebedee

Gk. form, probably, of Zabdi or Zebediah. The father of James and John (Mt 4:21), and the husband of Salome (27:56; Mk 15:40).

He was a Galilean fisherman, living probably either at or near Bethsaida. From the mention of his "hired servants" (Mk 1:20) and the acquaintance between John and Annas the high priest, it has been inferred that the family was in good circumstances. He appears only once in the gospel narrative (Mt 4:21-22; Mk 1:19-20), where he is in his boat with his two sons, mending their nets.