Twelve-year-old Eli lives in ancient Israel and dreams of being a treasure hunter instead of his uncle's metal-smithing apprentice. Uncle Shem is the kind of man who would tell Jesus that He walked on water the wrong way.

When Uncle Shem reluctantly sends the boy on a 120-mile journey to Jerusalem to deliver a fragile mirror, it seems like an impossible mission for a clumsy apprentice. Eli resolves not only to redeem himself in the eyes of his uncle, but also to begin his life as a real treasure hunter. He aims to find nothing less than the Ark of the Covenant! Of course flames reportedly shoot out the bottom of the Ark, and people who touch it tend to die, but that's not going to deter Eli.

When a mysterious stranger, who seems to share a secret past with Uncle Shem, gives Eli a worn Roman artifact, the boy never imagines how much he'll appreciate the object during the perilous journey ahead. Enemies await both along the way and within Jerusalem's imposing walls.

And there's another reason to visit the City of David in AD 33: Jesus. For who other than the all-knowing Son of God might know where to find the ultimate treasure?