Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. The men went up and spied out Ai.
(4) L. H. Vincent identified Ai with Bethel, as the fortified military outpost of Bethel, under the king of Bethel, called the king of Ai  (Joshua 8:12), since he was indeed the ruler of Ai. This explanation also includes the supposition that only the military were at Ai, and that no permanent settlement was there, and this would account for no ruins having been found at Ai that can be dated in the times of Joshua.