Lexical Definition
עַי ʻAy (ah'ee) Ai N:N--L
or (feminine) עַיָּא ʻAyâʼ (ah-yaw'); (Nehemiah 11:31), or עַיָּת ʻAyâth (ah-yawth'); (Isaiah 10:28), for עִי
Ai, Aija, Aijath, Hai.
- § Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"
- Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in Palestine
1) a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan
2) a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| עַ֗י | Ai | Jer.49.3 |
Extended Information
- a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon
Brown-Driver-Briggs
עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה40 proper name, of a location Αγγαι (Genesis), Γαι:
1. old Canaanite city, עַי always with article הָעַי (הָעָ֑י Gen 13:3 +), near Bethel to the southeast (exact site unknown, compare DiJosh 7:2 BuhlGeogr. 177), Gen 12:8 (J), Gen 13:3 (J), Josh 7:2 (twice in verse); Josh 7:3; Josh 7:4; Josh 7:5; Josh 8:1 (twice in verse); Josh 8:2; Josh 8:3 + 18 t. Josh 8 (+ Qr vJosh 8:12 vJosh 8:16, but improbable, Kt עיר, compare Di), Josh 9:3; Josh 10:1 (twice in verse); Josh 10:2 (all J E), Josh 12:9 (D), Ezra 2:28 = Neh 7:32 = עַיָּת Isa 10:28 עַיָּה (so Baer Ginsb, > עַיָּא van d. H.) Neh 11:31, so read also (for עַזָּה q. v. near the end) 1Chr 7:28.
2. east Jordan city Jer 49:3 (+ חֶשְׁבוֺן), but read עָר city (?) Gf RothstKau Co (הָעִיר ?).
עִי see I. עוה. עַיָּא see עַי. עיב see עוב.עֵיבָל see עוֺבָל below עבל. עַיָּה see עַי. p. 716, above
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 12:8 · 13:3 |
| Joshua | 7:2 · 7:3 · 7:4 · 7:5 · Chapter 8 · 8:1 · 8:2 · 8:3 · 8:12 · 8:16 · 9:3 · 10:1 · 10:2 · 12:9 |
| 1 Chronicles | 7:28 |
| Ezra | 2:28 |
| Nehemiah | 7:32 · 11:31 |
| Isaiah | 10:28 |
| Jeremiah | 49:3 |
Profile
Ai_2 • An Ammonite city, to be destroyed by Babylon.
Ai, an Ammonite city, mentioned in a prophecy against the Ammonites.
- A location near Heshbon חֶשְׁבּוֹן only mentioned at Jer.49.3;
- only referred to as Ai עַי.
In Jeremiah 49:3, Ai is mentioned as a city of the Ammonites, a people group living east of the Jordan River. This Ai is distinct from the Canaanite city of the same name. The prophet Jeremiah foretells the destruction of Ai and other Ammonite cities as part of a divine judgment against the Ammonites for their pride and hostility towards Israel (Jeremiah 49:1-6).
The prophecy states that Ai will be destroyed, and its people will flee in terror. The Ammonites are called to lament and run to and fro, for their god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials. This prophecy was likely fulfilled during the Babylonian conquest of the region under Nebuchadnezzar II in the early 6th century BC. The exact location of this Ammonite city of Ai is unknown.
All entries for Ai: עַי