Thematic Bible: Ai
Thematic Bible
Ai » A royal city of the canaanites » And aiath
Ai » A royal city of the canaanites » Also called aija
Some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Geba, Micmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages,
Ai » A royal city of the canaanites » Population of
Ai » A royal city of the canaanites » Rebuilt
Ai » A city » A city of the ammonites
Wail, you people in Heshbon, because Ai in Ammon is destroyed. Cry out in anguish, you people in the villages surrounding Rabbah. Put on sackcloth and cry out in mourning. Run about covered with gashes. For your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials.
Ai » A royal city of the canaanites » Conquest and destruction of
If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated before its enemies?
the Ammonites » Chief cities of » Ai
Wail, you people in Heshbon, because Ai in Ammon is destroyed. Cry out in anguish, you people in the villages surrounding Rabbah. Put on sackcloth and cry out in mourning. Run about covered with gashes. For your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials.
Sieges » Mentioned in scripture » Ai
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and instructed them, "Go up and spy on the land." So the men went up and spied on Ai. They returned and reported to Joshua, "Don't send the whole army. About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. Don't tire out the whole army, for Ai is small." So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai.
The Lord told Joshua, "Don't be afraid and don't panic! Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! See, I am handing over to you the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land. Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!" Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night. read more.
He told them, "Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don't go very far from the city; all of you be ready! I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, 'They are retreating from us like before.' We will retreat from them. Then you rise up from your hiding place and seize the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. When you capture the city, set it on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders." Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. Joshua spent that night with the army. Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai. All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai. The army was in position -- the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley. When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. But he did not realize men were hiding behind the city. Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert. All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel. The Lord told Joshua, "Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city over to you." So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.
He told them, "Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don't go very far from the city; all of you be ready! I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, 'They are retreating from us like before.' We will retreat from them. Then you rise up from your hiding place and seize the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. When you capture the city, set it on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders." Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. Joshua spent that night with the army. Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai. All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai. The army was in position -- the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley. When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. But he did not realize men were hiding behind the city. Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert. All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel. The Lord told Joshua, "Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city over to you." So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.