Joshua 7:2

“And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, etc.] Which was the next city of importance, though not so large as Jericho, and was, as the Jews say f96 , three miles distant from it; Abarbinel says f97 four miles, and so Bunting f98 ; Jerom f99 says, that in his times very few ruins of it appeared, only the place was shown where it stood: which [is] beside Bethaven; a name by which Bethel in later times was called, (<280415>Hosea 4:15); but here it is manifestly a distinct place from it; just hard by or near to this place, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, was the city of Ai: Bethaven seems to have been the suburbs of it, or however was very near unto it: on the east side of Bethel; near to which…”

“THE ISRAELITES SMITTEN AT AI. (Jos. 7:2-26) Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai--After the sacking of Jericho, the next step was to penetrate into the hills above. Accordingly, spies went up the mountain pass to view the country. The precise site of Ai, or Hai, is indicated with sufficient clearness (Gen 12:8; Gen 13:3) and has been recently discovered in an isolated tell, called by the natives Tell-el-Hajar, "the mount of stones," at two miles', or thirty-five minutes' distance, east southeast from Beth-el [VAN DE VELDE]. Beth-aven--("house of vanity")--a name afterwards given derisively (Hos 4:15; Hos 5:8; Hos 10:5), on account of its idolatries, to Beth-el, "house of God," but here…”

“Ai, Bethel - See Genesis 12:8 note. (Modern travelers place the former at Khan Haiy, in the neighborhood of Deir Diwan.) return to 'Top of Page'”

“To Ai - They were not to go into the city of Ai, but into the country belonging to it, to understand the state of the place; and the people. Joshua 7:3”

“7:2 As he did before the battle for Jericho, Joshua sent some of his men to assess the situation at Ai. This town stood about ten miles west of Jericho at the entrance to a plateau north of Jerusalem called the Plateau of Benjamin; conquering Ai would open the way for Israel to control the hill country. • Beth-aven, “house of iniquity,” was probably an intentionally derogatory wordplay on the name Bethel, the “house of God.” A pagan shrine stood on this site later in Israel’s history (1 Kgs 12:28-33).”

“to Ai: Jos 12:9; Gen 12:8, Hai, Neh 11:31, Aija Bethaven: Jos 18:12; Gen 28:19; Hos 4:15 Go up: Jos 2:1; Pro 20:18, Pro 24:6; Mat 10:16; Eph 5:15 Joshua 7:3”

“The anger of God, which Achan had brought upon Israel, was manifested to the congregation in connection with their attempt to take Ai. This town was situated near Bethaven, on the east of Bethel. Bethel was originally called Luz (see at Gen 28:19), a place on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin ( Jos 16:2; Jos 18:13). It is frequently mentioned, was well known at a later time as the city in which Jeroboam established the worship of the calves, and was inhabited again even after the captivity (see v. Raumer, Pal. pp. 178, 179). It has been preserved, in all probability, in the very extensive ruins called Beitin (see Robinson, Pal. ii. pp. 126ff.), about four hours' journey on horseback to the…”