AHUZZATH a _possession), the `friend' of Abimelech II., 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 favourite. Several interpreters, following the Chaldee and Jerome, take Ahuzzath to be an appellative, denoting a company of friends, whc attended Abimelech. The Sept. has 'Oxota 141/14)5Turyas abroli.—J. K.
AI Gen. xi. 8 ; xiii. 3 ; Josh. vii. 2. The here is the article without which this form is never used. The forms NV AIM (Neh. xi. 31), Mr MATH (Is. x. 28) also occur], (Sept. 'Ayyai, 'Aryar and rat • Vulg. Hai), a royal city of the Canaanites, which lay east of Bethel. It existed in the time of Abraham, 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). [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 (Onomast. in Agai), but Dr. Robinson was unable to discover any tain traces of either. He remarks (Bib. Researches,
ii. 313), however, that its situation with regard to Bethel may be well 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 defenceless (Josh. viii. 17) ; yet they were not so near but that Joshua could place an ambush on the west (or south-west) of Ai, without its being observed by the men of Bethel, while he himself remained behind in a valley to the north of Ai (Josh. viii. 4, I T-T3). 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 foundations of hewn stone. This, Dr. son inclines to think, may mark the site of Ai, as it agrees with all the intimations as to its position. Near it, on the north, is the deep Wady el-Mutyah, and towards the south-west other smaller wadys, in which the ambuscade of the Israelites might easily have been concealed.—J. K.