Reference: Ai
American
Called also Hai, Ge 12:8; Aija, Ne 11:31; and Aiath, Isa 10:28. A royal city of the Canaanites, east of Bethel, near which Abraham once sojourned and built an altar, Ge 12:8; 13:3. It is memorable for Joshua's defeat on account of Achan, and his subsequent victory, Jos 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
He journeyed by stages from the Negev to Bethel, the place where his tent had formerly been, between Bethel and Ai,
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there." read more. So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land. Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, but take its spoil and its livestock as war booty for yourselves. Set an ambush around the city." read more. So Joshua and all of the fighting men prepared to go out against Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 valiant warriors and sent them out by night, telling them, "Pay attention now! You are to set up an ambush around the city. Don't go very far from the city, and all of you remain on alert. I and all of the army with me will advance upon the city. When they come out after us like they did before, we'll run away from them. They'll come after us until we've drawn them away from the city, because they'll say, "They're running away from us just like they did before.' While we're running away from them, you get up from the ambush and seize the city, because the LORD your God will give it into your control. When you've taken the city, set it on fire, just as the LORD ordered. Look! These are your orders!" So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent that night in the camp among the army. In the morning, Joshua got up early, mustered his army, and set off for Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel in full view of the army. The entire fighting force with him attacked, approaching the city, and camped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. Taking about 5,000 men, he set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai to the west of the city, stationing their forces with its main encampment north of the city and its rear guard to the west. Joshua spent that night in the valley. When the king of Ai saw what had happened, he and his army quickly got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle. He and all his people met at the place adjacent to the desert plain. But he didn't know about the ambush that had been set for him on the other side of the city. Because Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel pretended to lose the battle by running away in front of them toward the wilderness, everyone in the city followed after them. As they pursued Joshua, they were drawn away from the town. There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel. Then the LORD told Joshua, "Stretch out the battle lance that's in your hand toward Ai, because I will give it into your control." So Joshua stretched out the battle lance that was in his hand toward the city. As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops in ambush quickly got up from their place of hiding and attacked. They entered the city, seized it, and immediately set it on fire. Then the men of Ai looked back behind them and all of a sudden! smoke from the city was rising into the sky. They were unable to run in any direction, because the Israelis who had fled toward the wilderness had turned around to attack their pursuers. When Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel observed that the men who had been in ambush had seized the city and that the smoke from the city was rising, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. Then the others came out from the city against them, so the men of Ai were surrounded by the Israelis, some on one side and some on the other. Israel attacked them until no one was left to survive or escape. But the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. When Israel had completed executing all of the residents of Ai in the open wilderness where they had chased them, and after all of them to the very last of them had been killed by swords, the entire fighting force of Israel returned to Ai and attacked it with swords. The total of all who fell that day, including men and women, was 12,000 the entire population of Ai. Joshua did not cease his attack until he had completely destroyed every inhabitant of Ai. Israel took only the livestock and the spoil of that city as their war booty, in accordance with what the LORD had commanded to Joshua. Joshua burned Ai, turning it into a permanent mound of ruins, and it remains so to this day. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until dusk, and at sunset Joshua ordered his body brought down from the tree and laid at the entrance to the gate of the town. There he raised over it a large mound of stones, which stands there to this day.
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
"The Assyrian commander has come upon Aiath and has passed through Migron; he stores his supplies at Michmash.
Easton
ruins.
(1.) One of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Jos 10:1; Ge 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 (Jos 7:2-5; 8:1-29). It lay rebuilt and inhibited by the Benjamites (Ezr 2:28; Ne 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 (Jer 49:3). Some have thought that the proper reading of the word is Ar (Isa 15:1).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
He journeyed by stages from the Negev to Bethel, the place where his tent had formerly been, between Bethel and Ai,
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there." read more. So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land. Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, but take its spoil and its livestock as war booty for yourselves. Set an ambush around the city." read more. So Joshua and all of the fighting men prepared to go out against Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 valiant warriors and sent them out by night, telling them, "Pay attention now! You are to set up an ambush around the city. Don't go very far from the city, and all of you remain on alert. I and all of the army with me will advance upon the city. When they come out after us like they did before, we'll run away from them. They'll come after us until we've drawn them away from the city, because they'll say, "They're running away from us just like they did before.' While we're running away from them, you get up from the ambush and seize the city, because the LORD your God will give it into your control. When you've taken the city, set it on fire, just as the LORD ordered. Look! These are your orders!" So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent that night in the camp among the army. In the morning, Joshua got up early, mustered his army, and set off for Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel in full view of the army. The entire fighting force with him attacked, approaching the city, and camped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. Taking about 5,000 men, he set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai to the west of the city, stationing their forces with its main encampment north of the city and its rear guard to the west. Joshua spent that night in the valley. When the king of Ai saw what had happened, he and his army quickly got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle. He and all his people met at the place adjacent to the desert plain. But he didn't know about the ambush that had been set for him on the other side of the city. Because Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel pretended to lose the battle by running away in front of them toward the wilderness, everyone in the city followed after them. As they pursued Joshua, they were drawn away from the town. There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel. Then the LORD told Joshua, "Stretch out the battle lance that's in your hand toward Ai, because I will give it into your control." So Joshua stretched out the battle lance that was in his hand toward the city. As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops in ambush quickly got up from their place of hiding and attacked. They entered the city, seized it, and immediately set it on fire. Then the men of Ai looked back behind them and all of a sudden! smoke from the city was rising into the sky. They were unable to run in any direction, because the Israelis who had fled toward the wilderness had turned around to attack their pursuers. When Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel observed that the men who had been in ambush had seized the city and that the smoke from the city was rising, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. Then the others came out from the city against them, so the men of Ai were surrounded by the Israelis, some on one side and some on the other. Israel attacked them until no one was left to survive or escape. But the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. When Israel had completed executing all of the residents of Ai in the open wilderness where they had chased them, and after all of them to the very last of them had been killed by swords, the entire fighting force of Israel returned to Ai and attacked it with swords. The total of all who fell that day, including men and women, was 12,000 the entire population of Ai. Joshua did not cease his attack until he had completely destroyed every inhabitant of Ai. Israel took only the livestock and the spoil of that city as their war booty, in accordance with what the LORD had commanded to Joshua. Joshua burned Ai, turning it into a permanent mound of ruins, and it remains so to this day. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until dusk, and at sunset Joshua ordered his body brought down from the tree and laid at the entrance to the gate of the town. There he raised over it a large mound of stones, which stands there to this day.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them.
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
A message concerning Moab: "For Ir in Moab is destroyed in a night, and Moab is ruined! Because Ir in Moab is destroyed in a single night, Moab is ruined!
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
Fausets
("heap of rains".)
1. AI or HAI, i.e. the Ai (Ge 12:8); a royal city (Jos 7:2; 8:9,23,29; 10:1-2; 12:9); E. of Bethel, "beside Bethaven." The second Canaanite city taken by Israel and "utterly destroyed." The name AIATH still belonged to the locality when Sennacherib marched against Jerusalem (Isa 10:28). "Men of Bethel and Ai," (223 according to Ezr 2:28, but 123 according to Ne 7:32,) returned from Babylon with Zerubbzbel. Ezra's list was made in Babylon; Nehemiah's in Judaea long after. Death and change of purpose would make many in Ezra's list of intending returners not appear in Nehemiah's list of those actually arriving.
Aija is mentioned among the towns reoccupied by the Benjamites (Ne 11:31). Perhaps the site is at the head of Wary Harith. (See BETHEL.) There is a hilltop E. of the church remains on the hill adjoining and E. of Bethel (Beitin); its Arab name, et Tel, means "the heap," and it doubtless is the site of Ai, or Hai (on the east of Abraham's encampment and altar, Ge 12:8). In the valley behind Joshua placed his ambush. Across the intervening valley is the spot where Joshua stood when giving the preconcerted signal. The plain or ridge can be seen down which the men of Ai rushed after the retreating Israelites, so that the men in ambush rose and captured the city behind the pursuers, and made it. "a heap" or tel for ever.
2. A city of Ammon, near Heshbon (Jer 49:3).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and
So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai.
So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai.
He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until dusk, and at sunset Joshua ordered his body brought down from the tree and laid at the entrance to the gate of the town. There he raised over it a large mound of stones, which stands there to this day.
He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until dusk, and at sunset Joshua ordered his body brought down from the tree and laid at the entrance to the gate of the town. There he raised over it a large mound of stones, which stands there to this day.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them. So they were terrified, since Gibeon was a large city, comparable to one of the royal cities, was larger than Ai, and all of its men had been warriors.
So they were terrified, since Gibeon was a large city, comparable to one of the royal cities, was larger than Ai, and all of its men had been warriors.
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
"The Assyrian commander has come upon Aiath and has passed through Migron; he stores his supplies at Michmash.
"The Assyrian commander has come upon Aiath and has passed through Migron; he stores his supplies at Michmash.
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
Hastings
1. A place between which and Bethel Abraham was stationed before (Ge 12:8) and after (Ge 13:3) his sojourn in Egypt. The repulse of the Israelite attempt on the city (Jos 7:2-5) led to the exposure of the crime of Achan; when that was expiated, the city was captured and destroyed (Jos 8:1-28) by a ruse. It never reappears in history, though it continued to be inhabited: it is the Aiath in Isaiah's description of the march of the Assyrian (Jos 10:28), and the Aija of Ne 11:31. In 1Ch 7:28 'Azzah, enumerated among the cities of Ephraim, is in many MSS 'Ayyah, which is another form of the name. This, however, cannot in any case be the same place, which was within the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 18:23, where Avvim 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 (Ezr 2:28), and the city was once more settled by Benjamites (Ne 11:31). That the city was insignificant is definitely stated in Jos 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 (Jos 12:9). Its capture, however, made a deep impression on the Canaanites (Jos 9:3; 10:1). As to its identification, the only indication to guide us is its proximity to Bethel (agreed by all to be Beitin), on the east of that place (as follows from Ge 12:8). Various sites have been proposed
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
He journeyed by stages from the Negev to Bethel, the place where his tent had formerly been, between Bethel and Ai,
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there."
returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there." So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. read more. The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land. Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, but take its spoil and its livestock as war booty for yourselves. Set an ambush around the city." read more. So Joshua and all of the fighting men prepared to go out against Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 valiant warriors and sent them out by night, telling them, "Pay attention now! You are to set up an ambush around the city. Don't go very far from the city, and all of you remain on alert. I and all of the army with me will advance upon the city. When they come out after us like they did before, we'll run away from them. They'll come after us until we've drawn them away from the city, because they'll say, "They're running away from us just like they did before.' While we're running away from them, you get up from the ambush and seize the city, because the LORD your God will give it into your control. When you've taken the city, set it on fire, just as the LORD ordered. Look! These are your orders!" So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent that night in the camp among the army. In the morning, Joshua got up early, mustered his army, and set off for Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel in full view of the army. The entire fighting force with him attacked, approaching the city, and camped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. Taking about 5,000 men, he set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai to the west of the city, stationing their forces with its main encampment north of the city and its rear guard to the west. Joshua spent that night in the valley. When the king of Ai saw what had happened, he and his army quickly got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle. He and all his people met at the place adjacent to the desert plain. But he didn't know about the ambush that had been set for him on the other side of the city. Because Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel pretended to lose the battle by running away in front of them toward the wilderness, everyone in the city followed after them. As they pursued Joshua, they were drawn away from the town. There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel. Then the LORD told Joshua, "Stretch out the battle lance that's in your hand toward Ai, because I will give it into your control." So Joshua stretched out the battle lance that was in his hand toward the city. As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops in ambush quickly got up from their place of hiding and attacked. They entered the city, seized it, and immediately set it on fire. Then the men of Ai looked back behind them and all of a sudden! smoke from the city was rising into the sky. They were unable to run in any direction, because the Israelis who had fled toward the wilderness had turned around to attack their pursuers. When Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel observed that the men who had been in ambush had seized the city and that the smoke from the city was rising, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. Then the others came out from the city against them, so the men of Ai were surrounded by the Israelis, some on one side and some on the other. Israel attacked them until no one was left to survive or escape. But the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. When Israel had completed executing all of the residents of Ai in the open wilderness where they had chased them, and after all of them to the very last of them had been killed by swords, the entire fighting force of Israel returned to Ai and attacked it with swords. The total of all who fell that day, including men and women, was 12,000 the entire population of Ai. Joshua did not cease his attack until he had completely destroyed every inhabitant of Ai. Israel took only the livestock and the spoil of that city as their war booty, in accordance with what the LORD had commanded to Joshua. Joshua burned Ai, turning it into a permanent mound of ruins, and it remains so to this day.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them.
Joshua captured Makkedah that very day, and attacked both it and its king with swords, utterly destroying it along with every person in it, leaving no survivors. He dealt with the king of Makkedah the same way he had dealt with the king of Jericho.
Their possessions and settlements included Bethel and its towns, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its towns to the west, Shechem and its towns as far as Ayyah and its towns
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
Morish
A'i Hai. Ha'i
1. Royal city of Canaan. It was known to Abraham, who pitched his tent between Hai and Bethel. Ge 12:8. It was conquered by Joshua
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From there Abram traveled on to the hill country east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there." read more. So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land. Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, but take its spoil and its livestock as war booty for yourselves. Set an ambush around the city." read more. So Joshua and all of the fighting men prepared to go out against Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 valiant warriors and sent them out by night, telling them, "Pay attention now! You are to set up an ambush around the city. Don't go very far from the city, and all of you remain on alert. I and all of the army with me will advance upon the city. When they come out after us like they did before, we'll run away from them. They'll come after us until we've drawn them away from the city, because they'll say, "They're running away from us just like they did before.' While we're running away from them, you get up from the ambush and seize the city, because the LORD your God will give it into your control. When you've taken the city, set it on fire, just as the LORD ordered. Look! These are your orders!" So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent that night in the camp among the army. In the morning, Joshua got up early, mustered his army, and set off for Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel in full view of the army. The entire fighting force with him attacked, approaching the city, and camped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. Taking about 5,000 men, he set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai to the west of the city, stationing their forces with its main encampment north of the city and its rear guard to the west. Joshua spent that night in the valley. When the king of Ai saw what had happened, he and his army quickly got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle. He and all his people met at the place adjacent to the desert plain. But he didn't know about the ambush that had been set for him on the other side of the city. Because Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel pretended to lose the battle by running away in front of them toward the wilderness, everyone in the city followed after them. As they pursued Joshua, they were drawn away from the town. There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel. Then the LORD told Joshua, "Stretch out the battle lance that's in your hand toward Ai, because I will give it into your control." So Joshua stretched out the battle lance that was in his hand toward the city. As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops in ambush quickly got up from their place of hiding and attacked. They entered the city, seized it, and immediately set it on fire. Then the men of Ai looked back behind them and all of a sudden! smoke from the city was rising into the sky. They were unable to run in any direction, because the Israelis who had fled toward the wilderness had turned around to attack their pursuers. When Joshua and the entire fighting force of Israel observed that the men who had been in ambush had seized the city and that the smoke from the city was rising, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. Then the others came out from the city against them, so the men of Ai were surrounded by the Israelis, some on one side and some on the other. Israel attacked them until no one was left to survive or escape. But the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. When Israel had completed executing all of the residents of Ai in the open wilderness where they had chased them, and after all of them to the very last of them had been killed by swords, the entire fighting force of Israel returned to Ai and attacked it with swords. The total of all who fell that day, including men and women, was 12,000 the entire population of Ai. Joshua did not cease his attack until he had completely destroyed every inhabitant of Ai. Israel took only the livestock and the spoil of that city as their war booty, in accordance with what the LORD had commanded to Joshua. Joshua burned Ai, turning it into a permanent mound of ruins, and it remains so to this day. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until dusk, and at sunset Joshua ordered his body brought down from the tree and laid at the entrance to the gate of the town. There he raised over it a large mound of stones, which stands there to this day.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them. So they were terrified, since Gibeon was a large city, comparable to one of the royal cities, was larger than Ai, and all of its men had been warriors.
The descendants of Benjamin lived from Geba to Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
"The Assyrian commander has come upon Aiath and has passed through Migron; he stores his supplies at Michmash.
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
Smith
A'i
(heap of ruins).
1. A city lying east of Bethel and "beside Bethaven."
It was the second city taken by Israel after the passage of the Jordan, and was "utterly destroyed."
Jos 7:3-5; 1/type/isv'>8:1,1; 9:3; 10:1-2; 12:9
2. A city of the Ammonites, apparently attached to Heshbon.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there." read more. So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land.
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land.
So Joshua sent them out, and they set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai.
King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem eventually heard how Joshua had conquered Ai, utterly destroying it, doing to Ai and its king the same thing that he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them. So they were terrified, since Gibeon was a large city, comparable to one of the royal cities, was larger than Ai, and all of its men had been warriors.
"Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and lament. Run back and forth inside the walls, for Milcom is going into exile along with his priests and his princes.
Watsons
AI, called by the LXX, Gai, by Josephus, Aina, and by others Ajah, a town of Palestine, situate west of Bethel, and at a small distance north-west of Jericho. The three thousand men, first sent by Joshua to reduce this city, were repulsed, on account of the sin of Achan, who had violated the anathema pronounced against Jericho, by appropriating a part of the spoil. After the expiation of this offence, the whole army of Israel marched against Ai, with orders to treat that city as Jericho had been treated, with this difference, that the plunder was to be given to the army. Joshua, having appointed an ambush of thirty thousand men, marched against the city, and by a feigned retreat, drew out the king of Ai with his troops; and upon on a signal given by elevating his shield on the top of a pike, the men in ambush entered the city and set fire to it. Thus the soldiers of Ai, placed between two divisions of Joshua's army, were all destroyed; the king alone being preserved for a more ignominious death on a gibbet, where he hung till sunset. The spoil of the place was afterward divided among the Israelites. The men appointed for ambush are, in one place, said to be thirty thousand, and in another five thousand. For reconciling this apparent contradiction, most commentators have generally supposed, that there were two bodies placed in ambuscade between Bethel and Ai, one of twenty-five thousand and the other of five thousand men; the latter being probably a detachment from the thirty thousand first sent, and ordered to lie as near to the city as possible. Masius allows only five thousand men for the ambuscade, and twenty-five thousand for the attack.