For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Did the city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it?
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
No, it was never rebuilt after Joshua destroyed it.
“So Joshua burned Ai and made it a refuse heap forever, a desolation until this day.” (Joshua 8:28)
Yes, it existed at the time of the Babylonian captivity.
“the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;” (Nehemiah 7:32)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction. A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time. To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
- One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible. See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tries to pit Joshua 8:28 as affirming the claim “The city of Ai did not exist after Joshua destroyed it” against Nehemiah 7:32 as affirming “The city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it.”
- It is important to see if the skeptic interpreted the passages correctly.
- Joshua 8:28 does affirm the claim “The city of Ai did not exist after Joshua destroyed it.” The passage phrase “a refuse heap forever” appears in Deuteronomy 13:16 and there the phrase is followed by “It shall never be rebuilt.” So in light of Deuteronomy 13:16 I take Joshua 8:28 as saying Ai did not exist after it was destroyed.
- Nehemiah 7:32 does affirm “The city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it.” In the context Nehemiah 7 is a census that mentioned the population of men in Ai after Joshua’s time period, specifically Post-Babylonian Captivity. It seems also that other passages agree there is an Ai Post-Babylonian captivity, see Ezra 2:28, and Nehemiah 11:31. Also some think Isaiah 10:28 might also refer to Ai also in a time of right before the Assyrian army approached.
- Yet I don’t think we have a contradiction. I think there was another city of “Ai” after Joshua’s conquests. Archaeologists have found the ruins of both Ai next to each other. The older ruin of Ai is identified in modern el_Tell that is two miles away South East of Bethel (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 82). This is identified as the older Ai based upon philological and topological reasons that date it to the Late Bonze Age (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 82). The smaller town of Ai during Nehemiah’s time is identified at Khirbet Haiyan which is one mile South East of el-tell which we know since it is dated to the Iron age and the Iron age is from 500 BC-300 BC, the time of Nehemiah (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 82). So the Ai of Joshua’s day was never built again. But a smaller settlement near the old Ai existed that was also named Ai but it wasn’t the city that Ai was in its old days.
- Just because there is two settlement with the same name doesn’t mean they are the same city. I think of the obvious example of how there is more than one city of Springfield in different states of the United States. Also there can be two cities in more closer proximity that is not the same city. I think of Kansas City in Missouri versus Kansas City in Kansas. One is also smaller than the other. Also you also have cities that can have one with the same name within the same state! Look up Woodbury, Nassau County, New York. One is on Long Island the other at Hudson Valley New Jersey itself has “75 municipalities share the same 33 monikers. And we’re not even counting the towns that add “Lake” or “Park” to the end or “East” or “North” to the beginning. Read More: NJ has so many municipalities, 75 of them have to share the same names “see this link. If cities/towns today can have the same name but be different why would it be a problem a city get destroyed and there be another smaller settlement has the same name? We shouldn’t think of the two as the same thing.
- Thus there is no contradiction here. Seems like the skeptics need to learn from our post How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity. The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible. In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview. Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”
[…] Did the city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it? […]
Ai! Ai! Good stuff you shared and thanks!
Thanks brother for reading and commenting!! God’s Word is amazing isn’t it?
Yes sir it is!
Thanks for the insight. Having grown up in Atlanta (a long time age 🙂 ) cities that are destroyed like Atlanta was during the civil war, can and are re-built.
Blessings.
Thank you for refuting!
You’re welcome! See you in a couple of hours??
Good point. The archeological evidence seems to show they are not the same city. So no contradiction.
Indeed brother. Is it not interesting that the skeptics didn’t do basic research in say a Biblical encyclopedia or a history book? It’s willful ignorance or negligence or both but definitely subpar scholarship of the Skeptic annotated Bible isn’t it?
Good job yet again Jim, although the sceptic hardly posed a hard question in this one. Anyone with a bit of historical knowledge knows that cities are often rebuilt or have others with the same name. As I read this I was thinking of Tyre whose borders moved in ancient times. There are many more recent examples such as Lisbon which was destroyed in 1755 by an earthquake and a tsunami, but was completely rebuilt. As for city names, Washington and Birmingham were English places before the USA was born, and Perth a city in Scotland before Perth Australia had any streets. I feel kinda sorry for the poor wee sceptic on this one.
So maybe you will be interested in this because of the English before USA. So, I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. If you were to visit here you would understand why we have buildings named “Red Rose Credit union” or “Red Rose Commons” it was a sad day when the “Red Rose Restaurant” closed. Every New Year’s Eve, Lancaster proper drops the “Red Rose” there are adds constantly saying Red Rose. Now, my neighboring county is York. Of course you are not surprised you get all kinds of names with “White Rose” along with the White Rose drop on New Year’s Eve. Of course anytime Lancaster plays York in anything it is always “The War of the Roses!” Now, you will understand what this actually means! Very few young folks today have ANY idea of the historical significance of any of this!
Interesting. 🙂
Right enough, I had forgotten about Lancaster and York in the USA. Now there is a historical rivalry!
Praise God you understood my point about the “historical rivalry!” I could have made that whole comment one sentence but I wanted to give it some dramatic effect and maybe for those who don’t know or don’t remember it will interest them to look up “The War of the Roses!”
Your asking a Scotsman drenched in historic sectarianism (protestant v catholic) if he understands rivalry…you better believe I do.😉
I am praying that I express this well in writing! I learned a VERY valuable lesson in June-July 2000. I was 18, just graduated from High School and my mom took me on a graduation riverboat cruise of the Loire Valley and then we spent a few days in Paris. Ok, so Steve was our boat captain (God made it that my mom and I were the only two people on boat. More crew than guests hahaha) and he was a very proud Scotsman. He didn’t like me very much at all! It’s important to remember that he didn’t like me! So, the one day we were at a cafe for lunch and there was instrumental music playing and I started humming along and was really excited because the song that was playing was in my primitive worldview was the US graduation song “Pomp and Circumstance” and I made a mention to how this song is played at US graduations at all levels. Well with that Steve said incredulously, “I HATE THIS SONG!” and he left the cafe. He didn’t speak to me for like a day and a half he was so upset! It was only later that I learned the history behind the song! Alan, I have been to the UK and Europe MANY times since 2000 and I assure you I have NEVER again said anything about Pomp and Circumstance. So yes, I KNOW that you understand rivalry!!
Please have mercy on me; but I’m laughing as I’m picturing Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpson here as Steve. Do you know who I’m talking about? But I don’t imagine in real life Steve being anything like Willie. All the Scots I met know their history it seems and I’ve only met one in person and the rest are all online.
He very much was like him and he also used colorful language to express how much he hated that song!
I do hope I have not upset you, it certainly was not my intention. With age I have learned that there is no room for what I was taught as a boy (i.e. hatred of others based on nationality and/or religion). Such things are spiritual poison. Incidentally the composer of “Pomp and Circumstance” Edward Elgar wasn’t a rampant nationalist but did love the countryside of the Malvern Hills – he admired Creation!
No you didn’t upset me at all!!! I am sorry if it came across that way! I was trying to say that everything has a history to it! And for me “Pomp and Circumstance” was a wonderful rite of passage represents something else entirely! I have absolutely loved this dialogue! God breaks down barriers in real time and history! I am SO thankful for you, Alan! I am glad to learn this about Elgar!!
Tyre is a Good example which of course the skeptic annotated Bible also assume is a contradiction 🤦♂️. I’ll have to deal with that one in a future post. That’s encouraging to know that you know about Tyre! Also thanks for the example of Libson which I didn’t know about before! And the others English cities and others named after it in different parts of the globe. This is a very helpful comment that I hope others would read too and not just my posts. It sounds like you really like geography????
Did I say Libson? 😄 Let’s try Lisbon then haha!
Yes geography and history are favourite subjects in our house, my son Samuel is also keen on these.
I was thinking of the same examples – there seems to be a Springfield in almost every state.
That’s a good one! Is there a Springfield in your state?
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Great post, Jimmy! I am thankful this one did not require much brainpower/man hours to refute! Praying for your prep and Study at large!
Thanks for reading this! I was working on another alleged Bible contradiction but it require a little more energy and research then last minute I stumble upon this one on the listing on SAB. Then after I finished at 5 AM I wonder if I should have stick to the original one I wrote. But who know that might mean I stay up till 6 or I wouldn’t even finish and have no post at all! Thanks for your prayers, I am assuming I can still pray for you for your research for your professor as something that is still relevant?
Honestly, this was the best post you could have written today. I am hoping that with Alan’s fantastic response that will stir people to think more deeply about what you have written and to think about that names aren’t as haphazard as they appear. If that makes sense?!
It comes down to point 5. Point 8 is something we need to consistently remind the skeptics. Without God they have no justification of the law of non-contradiction
Thanks for the sensible refutation. It’s painfully apparent that Steve/Stephen Wells just can’t help himself when he sees any low-hanging, either-or false dichotomies.
Thanks brother. Appreciate you reading this! I think this shows his lack of basic historic research. I think even fifth graders have to do more better research than what Steve Wells presents to us! How is your day going, hope you don’t have to work too hard today with helping with your sisters…what you have for lunch?
RE: day going?
Thanks, brother! I actually checked off several important things on the sister-move “must do” list so I’m feeling pretty good today. Sitting on the back patio – 81F and sunny – reading my KKK book and the IFB Sword of the Lord. My first respite since last Thursday. For lunch I had a white hot and mac salad covered in Sal’s sauce.
How is your day going and what did you have for lunch?
Good article
Great work refuting this. Well done.
Thanks! Hope you are having a blessed week so far?
Thank you . I am.
How are things over your way?
[…] 2.) Bible Contradiction? Did the city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it? […]
History isn’t the atheist strong suit
I love these, but even more when I have stumbled over multiple references to Ai. The Genesis reference places Abraham pitching his tents between Bethel and Ai, kind of a reference to halfway between heaven and hell, in the view of some. I also thought that the census always listed Bethel and Ai together. Thus was Ai a subdivision of Bethel or an area designation? Strange how your mind wanders when you see names reappear in Scripture.
So many possibilities to consider! Thanks for your input!
[…] Did the city of Ai exist after Joshua destroyed it? […]