King James Bible Dictionary

When Joshua took the city of Ai (Joshua 8), he burned it and "made it an heap [Heb. tel] for ever" (8:28). The ruins of this city were for a long time sought for in vain. It has been at length, however, identified with the mound which simply bears the name of "Tel." "There are many Tels in modern Palestine, that land of Tels, each Tel with some other name attached to it to mark the former site. But the site of Ai has no other name 'unto this day.' It is simply et-Tel, the heap' par excellence."

HEAP, noun

1. A pile or mass; a collection of things laid in a body so as to form an elevation; as a heap of earth or stones.

Huge heaps of slain around the body rise.

2. A crowd; a throng; a cluster; applied to living persons.

[Inelegant and not in use.]

3. A mass of ruins.

Thou hast made of a city a heap Isaiah 25:2.

HEAP, verb transitive

1. To throw or lay in a heap; to pile; as, to heap stones; often with up; as, to heap up earth; or with on; as, to heap on wood or coal.

2. To amass; to accumulate; to lay up; to collect in great quantity; with up; as, to heap up treasures.

Though the wicked heap up silver as the dust--Job 27:16.

3. To add something else, in large quantities.

4. To pile; to add till the mass takes a roundish form, or till it rises above the measure; as, to heap any thing in measuring.

HE'APED, participle passive Piled; amassed; accumulated.

HE'APER, noun One who heaps, piles or amasses.

HE'APING, participle present tense Piling; collecting into a mass.

HE'APY, adjective Lying in heaps; as heapy rubbish.