Maps on lining papers.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 401-408).

When Mulek, son of King Zedekiah, secretly surfaces in Jerusalem some years after his escape, he brings with him a mysterious and legendary object : the curious compass reputed to have guided Noah's ark to safety. As Mulek seeks to conceal the coveted treasure, four other exiles approach the city: the sons of Lehi, who fled their homeland with the brass plates only to receive God's decree to return and claim their intended wives, the four daughters of Ishmael. Sariah joyfully begins planning a wedding in the desert, but the long-absent brothers are hardly received with open arms, and securing their brides-to-be becomes a challenge as formidable as eluding the officials enraged by Laban's recent murder. As persecution rages under the hand of Laban's cruel successor and Babylonian armies gather for war, a young woman must risk her life to protect the Liahona, the compass that will lead God's chosen people to the land of promise.