עַי, H5857
Ai — the ancient Canaanite city near Bethel, destroyed by Joshua; also a variant form Ayyah in post-exilic lists.
A place name most famously associated with the Israelite conquest narrative in Joshua 7-8, where Ai's initial defeat of Israel exposed Achan's sin and its subsequent destruction demonstrated divine judgment and restoration. The name always appears with the definite article (ha-Ai, 'the ruin'), suggesting it may preserve an older common noun meaning 'ruin heap.' French 'le Ai' and German 'der Ai' faithfully reproduce this article, while Spanish 'Hai' contracts it. A single late occurrence as 'Ayyah' (Neh 11:31) appears in a post-exilic settlement list for Benjamin, likely referring to a resettlement near or on the ancient site.
Senses
1. Ai (Canaanite city) — The Canaanite city near Bethel, central to the conquest narrative. Always with the article ha-Ai ('the ruin'), appearing in Genesis as a geographic marker (Gen 12:8; 13:3 — Abraham pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai) and then dominating Joshua 7-8 with the failed first attack, Achan's sin, and the successful ambush. Also listed in the returnee census (Ezra 2:28; Neh 7:32). French 'le Aï' and German 'der Ai' preserve the distinctive article that sets this toponym apart from ordinary place names. 39×
AR["العايَ","العايِ","الْ-عَايِ"]·ben["আয়","আয়-কে","আয়-তে","আয়ের"]·DE["Ai","der-Ai","von-der-Ai","zu-der-Ai"]·EN["of-the-Ai","the-Ai","to-the-Ai"]·FR["de-le-Aï","le-Ai","le-Aï","à-le-Aï"]·heb["ה-עי","ל-עי"]·HI["अय","अय-का","अय-के","ऐ"]·ID["Ai","Ai-itu"]·IT["a-il-Ai","di-il-Ai","il-Ai"]·jav["Ai","punika"]·KO["아이","아이로","아이를","아이의"]·PT["(a) Ha'Ai","Ay","Ha'Ai"]·RU["-Гаем","Гаем","Гай","Гаю","Гая","в-Гай","на-Гай","от-Гая"]·ES["Hai"]·SW["Ai"]·TR["-Ay'ın","Ay'a","Ay'ı","Ay'ın","için-Ay'ın"]·urd["عائی","عائی-کو","عائی-کی","عائی-کے"]
2. Ayyah (settlement in Nehemiah) — The variant spelling Ayyah (עַיָּה), appearing once in Neh 11:31 among Benjaminite settlements of the post-exilic resettlement. Without the article and with a different vowel pattern, this form may represent a later pronunciation or a distinct nearby settlement. Most translations leave it untranslated or bracket it, as seen in the French and German renderings ([ועיה]), reflecting uncertainty about whether this is simply Ai by another name or a separate locale. 1×
AR["وَ-عَيَّا"]·ben["আর-অয়ায়"]·DE["[ועיה]"]·EN["and-Ayyah"]·FR["[ועיה]"]·heb["ו-עיה"]·HI["और-अय्याह-में"]·ID["dan-Aya"]·IT["[ועיה]"]·jav["lan-Aya"]·KO["그리고-아야"]·PT["e-Ayah"]·RU["и-Айя"]·ES["y-Aja"]·SW["na-Aiya"]·TR["ve-Ayya"]·urd["اور-عیا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה n.pr.loc. Αγγαι (Gn), Γαι: 1. old Canaanit. city, עַי always c. art. הָעַי (הָעָ֑י Gn 13:3 +), near Bethel to the SE. (exact site unknown, cf. Di Jos. 7:2 BuhlGeogr. 177), Gn 12:8 (J), 13:3 (J), Jos 7:2(×2), 3, 4, 5; 8:1(×2), 2, 3 + 18 times Jos 8 (+ Qr v 12, 16, but improb., Kt עיר, cf. Di), 9:3; 10:1(×2), 2 (all JE), 12:9 (D), Ezr 2:28 = Ne 7:32; = עַיָּת Is 10:28; עַיָּה…