Before the invention of money, both ancient Israel and early Nephite societies understood atonement as a relational act of covenant repair rather than a financial transaction—restoring harmony between God and His people through cleansing and loyalty, not payment. As economies evolved to measure value abstractly, theology likewise began to describe sin and redemption in monetary and legal terms, imagining mercy as the satisfaction of justice. The Book of Mormon traces this same shift, showing how changing economic systems reshaped humanity’s imagination of atonement—from restoration of relationship to settlement of accounts.