The Details

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, . . .   Joshua 7:2a NASB

To – You wouldn’t think that such a small letter attached to the city name Ai would cause any interest or concern.  It obviously didn’t bother the translators of the NASB (or any other English Bible).  They all render the word “to Ai.”  But the preposition isn’t there.  What’s there is the definite article, so “the Ai,” not “to Ai.”  Of course, “to” makes sense and “the” doesn’t (maybe) so we don’t think about the fact that there is no preposition, unless we’re into the details, like me.

Here’s the Hebrew text (I’ve highlighted the word):

וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מִֽירִיח֗וֹ הָעַ֞י אֲשֶׁ֨ר עִם־בֵּ֥ית אָ֙וֶן֙ מִקֶּ֣דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל

As you can see, there is no לְ attached to the city name עַ֞י.  That would clearly be “to Ai.”  Instead we have the definite article הָ.  Why?

Well, I live in Parma.  Oh, you don’t know Parma where Parma is?  Here are your choices:

Parma, Ohio

Parma, Missouri

Parma, Michigan

Parma, Idaho

Parma, Colorado

Parma, Arkansas

Parma, Permskiy Kray

Parma, Komi

Parma, Xizang

Parma, Gansu

Parma, Lodzkie

Parma, Kaduna

Parma, Colon

Parma, Corse

Oh, and Parma, Italy.

I live in the Parma, you know, the one between Milano and Bologna.  And now you know why the Hebrew text reads “the Ai.”  Because there was more than one city by that name.  The Ai in this verse is the one near Beth-Aven east of Beth-el just like my Parma is between Milano and Bologna.  So, Joshua didn’t send the men to Ai.  He sent the men to this particular Ai, the one near Beth-Aven.  Details.  Details overlooked by the translators who never asked, “Hey, why is this a definite article instead of a preposition?”  I just thought you’d like to know.

Topical Index: Ai, definite article, Joshua 7:2a