Encyclopedia entry
Zebedee
A Galilean fisherman, the husband of Salome (q.v.), and the father of James and John, two of our Lord’s disciples (Matt. 4:21; 27:56; Mark 15:40). He seems to have been a man of some position in Capernaum, for he had two boats (Luke 5:4) and “hired servants” (Mark 1:20) of his own. No mention is made of him after the call of his two sons by Jesus.
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
(my gift) (Greek form of Zabdi) a fisherman of Galilee, the father of the apostles James the Great and John (Matthew 4:21) and the husband of Salome. (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40) He probably lived either at Bethsaida or in its immediate neighborhood. It has been inferred from the mention of his “hired servants,” (Mark 1:20) and from the acquaintance between the apostle John and Annas the high priest, (John 18:15) that the family of Zebedee were in easy circumstances. comp. (John 19:27) although not above manual labor. (Matthew 4:21) He appears only twice in the Gospel narrative, namely, in (Matthew 4:21,22; Mark 1:19,20) where he is seen in his boat with his two sons mending their nets.
In the Bible
9
Verses where Zebedee is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- John 21:2
Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
- Luke 5:10
and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”
- Mark 1:19
Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets.
- Mark 1:20
Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.
- Mark 3:17
James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),
- Mark 10:35
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
+3 more verses naming Zebedee.
Scripture on Zebedee
12
Entries that reference Zebedee
10
Zebedee references
14
Voices on Zebedee
1
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869) · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.