Time is running out for Khalil el Said, as his cancer treatments have become less and less effective. And so it is that his old friends Art West (and his new wife, Marissa) and Grace Levine plan something very special for Khalil, while there is still time-- the opening of an el Said wing of the Israeli Museum of Antiquities, which includes many of the items he bequeathed to the museum over many years. All of this might be quite enough, but as the Wests and others arrive in Jerusalem, a huge explosion blows the top off of the Dome of the Rock. How did it happen? Will there be war? And who is this person hiding in the shadows who seems to be the spitting image of the well-known dead villain el Tigre? Along the way new archaeological discoveries come to light, and Yelena, the adopted daughter of Grace and Manny, must decide if her future lies in Israel or not. The old friends discover they are at a crossroads in all their lives--- which avenues will they take as the future beckons?

"Ben and Ann Witherington have given us another Art West adventure, which, like the previous novels, blends imagination with the realities of archaeology and the Holy Land. In reading this book you will not only be entertained, quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next, you will also be acquiring an excellent education relating to biblical scholarship, Christian origins, Jewish customs, life in Israel in the time of Jesus, history, and archaeology. In short, the Witheringtons have made entertainment educational and education entertaining!"
--Craig A. Evans, John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins and Dean of the School of Christian Thought, Houston Baptist University

"What happens when a Jewish zealot conspires to blow up Jerusalem's temple mount with a Palestinian Muslim? Ben Witherington's ninth Art West novel is a compelling account of murder, stolen antiquities, archaeological discoveries, and the cold case revelation of Yasser Arafat's murder, capped off with the destruction of the temple mount. Return to Zion is a gripping story that's hard to put down."
--Mark R. Fairchild, Luke J. Peters Professor of Biblical Studies, Chair Dept. Bible & Religion, Huntington University

"The Witheringtons plant the reader between the frenzy of religious extremism--Christian, Jewish, and Muslim--and the impetus of people of good conscience toward peace and cooperation across faiths. But this is also a story about valuing life, facing death, and finding direction in the midst of danger and opportunity. The result is a story as multilayered as the archaeological digs that inevitably come into play where Art West is involved."
--David A. deSilva, Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Ashland Theological Seminary


Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University, and the author of over thirty-five books, including New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus.

Ann Witherington is Instructor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Asbury University. Ben and Ann have been married for over thirty years.