Home › Glossary › Letter A

Ai

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Canaanite city defeated by Joshua after an initial Israelite failure due to Achan’s sin

Detailed Definition
Ai was a small city near Bethel whose conquest marked a turning point in Israel’s entry into Canaan. After Achan’s disobedience caused defeat, repentance led to victory through ambush. In poetry, Ai represents the consequences of hidden sin, the necessity of communal purity, and divine strategy overcoming human weakness.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Ai’s destruction (Joshua 7–8) illustrates the cost of sin and the necessity of holiness; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Ai symbolizes the fragility of human strongholds; In George Herbert’s "The Church Militant," Ai’s fall warns against presumption; In John Keble’s "The Christian Year," Ai becomes a metaphor for spiritual defeat through hidden sin; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Ai’s ruins speak of judgment; In T.S. Eliot’s "The Waste Land," ancient cities like Ai evoke desolation and renewal.
Additional Notes
Ai: Canaanite city destroyed by Joshua after Achan’s sin (Joshua 7–8); its initial defeat and subsequent conquest form a narrative of failure and restoration. In poetry, Ai symbolizes the cost of hidden sin, the necessity of communal purity, and strategic renewal. The ambush tactics (Joshua 8) offer vivid military imagery. Use Ai to explore themes of second chances, divine discipline, or the geography of conquest.
Other Meanings of “Ai”
Also Known As
Ai the Canaanite city Ai of Bethel
Skip to main content