AHUZZATH (a-hiiz'zath), a kh-ooz zath', a possession), the 'friend' of Abimelech king of Gerar, who attended him on his visit to Isaac (Gen. xxvi:26). In him occurs the first instance of that unofficial but important personage in ancient Oriental courts, called 'the king's friend,' or favorite. Several interpreters, follow ing the Chaldee and Jerome, take iihm:.-zath to he an appellative, denoting a comftany who attended Abimelech.
AI (all, (Iteb, ah'ee), Gen. xii:8; xiii:3; Josh.
vii :2-5 ; x 2; xii :9; Ezra ii :28; Neh. vii :32; Jer. xlix :3), a city of the Canaanites, which lay east of Bethel. It existed in the time of Abra ham, who pitched his tent between it and Bethel (Gen. xii:8; xiii :3) ; but it is chiefly noted for its capture and destruction by Joshua (vii :2-5; viii: 1-29). This, as a military transaction, is noticed elsewhere (see AMBUSCADE). At a later period Ai was rebuilt, and is mentioned by Isaiah ( x :28). and also after the captivity. The site was known, and some scanty ruins still existed in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, hut Dr. Robinson was unable to discover any certain traces of either. Ile remarks (Bib. Researches, ii :3t3), however, that its situation with regard to Bethel may he %yell determined by the facts recorded in Scripture. That Ai lay to the east of Bethel is distinctly stated : and the two cities were not so far distant from each other but that the men of Bethel mingled in the pursuit of the Israelites when they feigned to flee before the king of Ai, and thus both cities were left defenseless ( Josh. viii :171 :
yet they were not so near but that Joshua could place an ambush on the west (or southwest) of Ai, without its being observed by the men of Bethel while he himself remained behind in a valley, to the north of At ( Josh. viii 11-13). A little to the south of a village called Deir Diwan, and one hour's journey from Bethel, the site of an ancient place is indicated by reservoirs hewn in the rock, excavated tombs, and founda tions of hewn stone. This, Dr. Robinson inclines to think, may mark the site of Ai. as it agrees with all the intimation as to its position.
It is a hill of stones, Lee-el-Hajjar, a quarter of an hour from Beitin I Bethel) and less than four hours from Ain-es-Sultin, by way of Jericho. Near it. on the north, is the deep Wady-el Mutyah, and towards the southwest other smaller wades, in which the ambuscade of the Israelites might easily have been concealed.
AIAH (a-i'ah), (Heb. 78, oh-yaw', a cry, often hawk).
1. Father of Rizpah, who was Saul's concubine. David delivered her children to the Gideonites, to be hanged before the Lord (2 Sam. xxi:8-ii).
2. Son of Zibeon, son of Seir, the Horite (B. C. about