Difference between revisions of "Ai"

<p> <strong> AI </strong> . <strong> 1 </strong> . A place between which and [[Bethel]] [[Abraham]] was stationed before (&nbsp; [[Genesis]] 12:8 ) and after (&nbsp; Genesis 13:3 ) his sojourn in Egypt. The repulse of the [[Israelite]] attempt on the city (&nbsp; Joshua 7:2-5 ) led to the exposure of the crime of Achan; when that was expiated, the city was captured and destroyed (&nbsp; Joshua 8:1-28 ) by a ruse. It never reappears in history, though it continued to be inhabited: it is the <strong> [[Aiath]] </strong> in Isaiah’s description of the march of the [[Assyrian]] (&nbsp; Joshua 10:28 ), and the <strong> [[Aija]] </strong> of &nbsp; Nehemiah 11:31 . In &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 7:28 <em> ‘Azzah </em> , enumerated among the cities of Ephraim, is in many MSS <em> ‘Ayyah </em> , which is another form of the name. This, however, cannot in any case be the same place, which was within the tribe of [[Benjamin]] (&nbsp; Joshua 18:23 , where <em> [[Avvim]] </em> is possibly a corruption for the name of this city). After the Exile, [[Ai]] and Bethel between them supplied a contingent of 223 to the number that returned (&nbsp; Ezra 2:28 ), and the city was once more settled by Benjamites (&nbsp; Nehemiah 11:31 ). That the city was insignificant is definitely stated in &nbsp; Joshua 7:3 , and indicated by the fact that in the list of captured cities it is almost the only one of which the situation is specified (&nbsp; Joshua 12:9 ). Its capture, however, made a deep impression on the [[Canaanites]] (&nbsp; Joshua 9:3; &nbsp; Joshua 10:1 ). As to its identification, the only indication to guide us is its proximity to Bethel (agreed by all to be <em> Beitin </em> ), on the east of that place (as follows from &nbsp; Genesis 12:8 ). Various sites have been proposed <em> Turmus ‘Aya </em> (which contains an element resembling the name, but the situation is impossible); <em> Khurbet Hayan </em> (which also has a similar name, but the antiquities of the place are not known to be old enough); <em> Deir Diwan </em> (which is in the right place, but also possibly not an old enough site); and <em> et-Tell </em> (a mound whose name has the same meaning as the word <em> Ai </em> [‘heap’]. Possibly this last is the most likely site. </p> <p> <strong> 2 </strong> . A wholly distinct place, mentioned in a prophecy against the Ammonites, &nbsp; Jeremiah 49:3 (perh. a clerical error for <em> [[Ar]] </em> ). </p> <p> [[R. A. S]]  Macalister. </p>

<p> [[Ai]] ( ''Â'Î,'' ''Heap Of Ruins.'' 1. A city of the Canaanites, &nbsp;Genesis 13:3, where it is "Hai" in the Authorized Version, but Ai in the Revised Version. Taken by Joshua. &nbsp;Joshua 7:2-5; &nbsp;Joshua 8:1-29. Also called Aiath, &nbsp;Isaiah 10:28, and Aija in the [[A. V]]  and [[R. V]]  &nbsp;Nehemiah 11:31. Abraham pitched his tent between Hai and Bethel. &nbsp;Genesis 12:8. The city of Ai was east of Bethel, and about nine miles north of Jerusalem. It is named 38 times in the Bible. 2. A city of the Ammonites, not far from Heshbon. &nbsp;Jeremiah 49:3. </p>