Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Ai is a significant location in the biblical narrative, particularly in the Old Testament. It is primarily known as the site of an Israelite defeat followed by a subsequent victory during the conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. The account of Ai is found in the Book of Joshua, chapters 7 and 8.
Geographical Location:Ai is described as being near Bethel, east of it, and close to the city of Jericho. The exact location of Ai has been a subject of archaeological and scholarly debate, but it is generally believed to be in the central highlands of Canaan, in the region that would later become part of the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.
Biblical Account:1.
Initial Defeat at Ai (Joshua 7): After the miraculous victory at Jericho, the Israelites set their sights on Ai. Joshua sent men to spy out the city, and they reported that only a small force would be needed to capture it. However, the Israelites were defeated, and about thirty-six men were killed. This defeat was attributed to the sin of Achan, who had taken some of the devoted things from Jericho, violating God's command. The Lord said to Joshua, "Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them" (
Joshua 7:11).
2.
Achan's Sin and Punishment (Joshua 7): The Lord instructed Joshua to sanctify the people and identify the transgressor. Through a process of casting lots, Achan was identified as the culprit. He confessed to taking a beautiful robe, silver, and a bar of gold. Achan, along with his family and possessions, was taken to the Valley of Achor and stoned to death, after which the Israelites raised a large pile of stones over him. This act of judgment restored the Lord's favor to Israel.
3.
Victory at Ai (Joshua 8): With the sin of Achan addressed, the Lord commanded Joshua to attack Ai again, this time with a strategic plan. Joshua set an ambush behind the city. The main force pretended to flee, drawing the men of Ai out of the city. The ambush force then entered the city, set it on fire, and the Israelites achieved a decisive victory. The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land" (
Joshua 8:1).
4.
Destruction and Consecration (Joshua 8): The city of Ai was completely destroyed, and its king was captured and hanged. The Israelites took the livestock and goods of the city as plunder, as the Lord had instructed. Ai was left in ruins, a heap of stones, as a testament to the Lord's judgment and the fulfillment of His promises to Israel.
Theological Significance:The events at Ai underscore the importance of obedience to God's commands and the consequences of sin within the community of God's people. The initial defeat serves as a reminder of the need for holiness and the seriousness of covenant faithfulness. The subsequent victory illustrates God's mercy and faithfulness in granting success when His people repent and align themselves with His will.
Cultural and Historical Context:Ai's narrative reflects the broader context of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, a period marked by divine intervention and fulfillment of the promises made to the patriarchs. The account of Ai is a microcosm of the larger theme of God's sovereignty and the necessity of Israel's reliance on Him for victory and blessing.
Archaeological Insights:While the precise location of Ai remains debated, some scholars associate it with the archaeological site of et-Tell. Excavations have revealed a fortified city that was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, though the correlation with the biblical account is not universally accepted. The search for Ai continues to be a topic of interest in biblical archaeology.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Aior Hai, mass; heap
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Ai(heap of ruins).
- A city lying east of Bethel and "beside Bethaven." (Joshua 7:2;8:9) It was the second city taken by Israel after the passage of the Jordan, and was "utterly destroyed." (Joshua 7:3-5;8:1;Joshua 9:3;10:1,2;12:9)
- A city of the Ammonites, apparently attached to Heshbon. (Jeremiah 49:3)
ATS Bible Dictionary
AiCalled also Hai,Genesis 12:8; Aija,Nehemiah 11:31; and Aiath,Isaiah 10:28. A royal city of the Canaanites, east of Bethel, near which Abraham once sojourned and built an altar,Genesis 12:8; 13:3. It is memorable for Joshua's defeat on account of Achan, and his subsequent victory,Joshua 7:2-5; 8:1-29. It was rebuilt, and is mentioned by Isaiah. Its ruins are spoken of by Eusebius and Jerome, but the exact site cannot now be fixed with certainty.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Ruins.
(1.) One of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Joshua 10:1;Genesis 12:8;13:3). It was the scene of Joshua's defeat, and afterwards of his victory. It was the second Canaanite city taken by Israel (Joshua 7:2-5;8:1-29). It lay rebuilt and inhibited by the Benjamites (Ezra 2:28;Nehemiah 7:32;11:31). It lay to the east of Bethel, "beside Beth-aven." The spot which is most probably the site of this ancient city is Haiyan, 2 miles east from Bethel. It lay up the Wady Suweinit, a steep, rugged valley, extending from the Jordan valley to Bethel.
(2.) A city in the Ammonite territory (Jeremiah 49:3). Some have thought that the proper reading of the word is Ar (Isaiah 15:1).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) The three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of South America. See Sloth.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
AIa'-i (`ay, written always with the definite article, ha-`ay, probably meaning "the ruin," kindred root, `awah):
(1) A town of central Palestine, in the tribe of Benjamin, near and just east of Bethel (Genesis 12:8). It is identified with the modern Haiyan, just south of the village Der Diwan (Conder in HDB; Delitzsch in Commentary onGenesis 12:8) or with a mound, El-Tell, to the north of the modern village (Davis, Dict. Biblical). The name first appears in the earliest journey of Abraham through Palestine (Genesis 12:8), where its location is given as east of Bethel, and near the altar which Abraham built between the two places. It is given similar mention as he returns from his sojourn in Egypt (Genesis 13:3). In both of these occurrences the King James Version has the form Hai, including the article in transliterating. The most conspicuous mention of Ai is in the narrative of the Conquest. As a consequence of the sin of Achan in appropriating articles from the devoted spoil of Jericho, the Israelites were routed in the attack upon the town; but after confession and expiation, a second assault was successful, the city was taken and burned, and left a heap of ruins, the inhabitants, in number twelve thousand, were put to death, the king captured, hanged and buried under a heap of stones at the gate of the ruined city, only the cattle being kept as spoil by the people (Joshua 7;Joshua 8). The town had not been rebuilt when Jos was written (Joshua 8:28). The fall of Ai gave the Israelites entrance to the heart of Canaan, where at once they became established, Bethel and other towns in the vicinity seeming to have yielded without a struggle. Ai was rebuilt at some later period, and is mentioned by Isaiah (Isaiah 10:28) in his vivid description of the approach of the Assyrian army, the feminine form (`ayyath) being used. Its place in the order of march, as just beyond Michmash from Jerusalem, corresponds with the identification given above. It is mentioned also in post-exilic times byEzra 2:28 andNehemiah 7:32, (and inNehemiah 11:31 as, `ayya'), identified in each case by the grouping with Bethel.
(2) The Ai ofJeremiah 49:3 is an Ammonite town, the text probably being a corruption of `ar; or ha-`ir, "the city" (BDB).
Edward Mack
Greek
3588. ho, he, to -- the... (
ai) -- 154 Occurrences. (e) -- 1409 Occurrences. (o) -- 3184 Occurrences. (oi) --
1150 Occurrences. (ta) -- 836 Occurrences. (tais) -- 203 Occurrences.
...Strong's Hebrew
7671. Shebarim -- perhaps "quarries," a place nearAi... Shebarim. 7672 . perhaps "quarries," a place near
Ai. Transliteration: Shebarim
Phonetic Spelling: (sheb-aw-reem') Short Definition: Shebarim. Word Origin pl.
...5857. Ay -- a Canaanite city
... Ay or Ayya or Ayyath. 5858 . a Canaanite city. Transliteration: Ay or Ayya or
Ayyath Phonetic Spelling: (ah'ee) Short Definition:Ai....Ai, Aija, Aijath,....
5892. iyr -- excitement
... 5891, 5892. iyr. 5892a . excitement. Transliteration: iyr Phonetic Spelling:
(eer) Short Definition: excitement.Ai, city, town...
Library
The Capture of Jericho andAi
... THE OLD TESTAMENT THE CAPTURE OF JERICHO ANDAI. Now Jericho had... this day. Then
Joshua set out with all the warriors to go up toAi. And...
Achan's Sin, Israel's Defeat
... of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against
the children of Israel.2. And Joshua sent men from Jericho toAi, which is...
The Great Furnace for a Great Soul
... THE GREAT FURNACE FOR A GREAT SOUL. BEING THE STORY OFAI DO. MRS.... The years
passed by, and littleAi Do won the love and approval of all....
Women's Bible Training School
... evangelistic work. Foremost amongst these was Mrs. Liang, mother of Ling
Ai, the headmistress of the girls' school. Strong, true...
Restraining Prayer: is it Sin?
... of God's presence. 2. Defeat and failure are always owing to the loss
of God's presence."It was thus atAi. God had brought His...
With the Rev. William Burns
... native dress. The T'ai-p'ing rebellion, commenced in 1851, had by this time
reached the height of its ephemeral success. The great...
Joshua
... This initial success was followed by a sharp and unexpected disaster atAi, for
which Achan, by his violation of the law of the ban, was held guilty and...
Chapter xiii
... 3, 4. So he went in stages from the Negeb to Bethel, to the place where his tent
had been in the previous instance between Bethel andAi, to the place of the...
How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... Now, a few days after the calamity that befell Jericho, Joshua sent three thousand
armed men to takeAi, a city situate above Jericho; but, upon the sight of...
Five Kings in a Cave
... It is rather singular that when the children of Israel had taken Jericho they failed
atAi, and yet not singular when we realize that one man had sinned in all...
Thesaurus
Ai (32 Occurrences)... See Sloth. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
AI. a
... transliterating. The most
conspicuous mention of
Ai is in the narrative of the Conquest.
...Ai'jalon (10 Occurrences)
Ai'jalon. Aijalon,Ai'jalon. Aijeleth . Multi-Version Concordance
Ai'jalon (10 Occurrences). Joshua 10:12 Then Joshua...
Jeshish'ai (1 Occurrence)
Jeshish'ai. Jeshishai, Jeshish'ai. Jeshoaiah . Multi-Version
Concordance Jeshish'ai (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 5:14...
Ma'ai (1 Occurrence)
Ma'ai. Maai, Ma'ai. Maalehacrabbim . Multi-Version Concordance
Ma'ai (1 Occurrence). Nehemiah 12:36 and his brothers...
Ai'ja (1 Occurrence)
Ai'ja. Aija,Ai'ja. Aijah . Multi-Version ConcordanceAi'ja
(1 Occurrence). Nehemiah 11:31 The children of Benjamin...
Ai'ath (1 Occurrence)
Ai'ath. Aiath,Ai'ath. Aid . Multi-Version ConcordanceAi'ath (1
Occurrence). Isaiah 10:28 He has gone up from Pene-Rimmon...
Ai'ah (5 Occurrences)
Ai'ah. A'iah,Ai'ah. Aiah's . Multi-Version ConcordanceAi'ah
(5 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 3:7 Now Saul had a concubine...
Sar'ai (12 Occurrences)
Sar'ai. Sarai, Sar'ai. Saraiah . Multi-Version Concordance
Sar'ai (12 Occurrences). Genesis 11:29 And Abram and Nahor...
Re-ai'ah (4 Occurrences)
Re-ai'ah. Reaiah, Re-ai'ah. Real . Multi-Version Concordance
Re-ai'ah (4 Occurrences). 1 Chronicles 4:2 Reaiah the son...
Re-el-ai'ah (1 Occurrence)
Re-el-ai'ah. Reelaiah, Re-el-ai'ah. Reeled . Multi-Version
Concordance Re-el-ai'ah (1 Occurrence). Ezra 2:2 who came...
Resources
What is the significance of Ai in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgIs artificial intelligence (AI) biblically possible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Achan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgAi: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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