The Nephite Units of Money

According to the law written by King Mosiah, every man appointed to be a judge was paid for the time he spent judging. If a man owed another and refused to pay his debt, he was brought before the judge. After the evidence was given, the man was compelled to pay his debt. If he still refused to pay, his property was taken and he was thrown out of the city as a thief and a robber. The judge was paid a senine of gold for a day of judging, or he was paid a senum of silver, which is equal to a senine of gold.

Various measurements of gold and silver were made by the Nephites. They did not measure their gold and silver like the Jews in Jerusalem. They created their own ways of measuring things according to their needs and circumstances. They continued to do this in every generation until the judges’ reign, when King Mosiah first established the standard measures.

Gold was measured in units called senines, seons, shums, and limnahs. Silver was measured in senums, amnors, ezroms, and ontis. A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold. Either of these were equal to a measure of barley, or any kind of grain.

These were the standard measurements for gold: 1 seon = 2 senines. 1 shum = 2 seons (4 senines). 1 limnah = 1 shum+1 seon+1 senine (7 senines).

These were the standard measurements for silver: 1 amnor = 2 senums. 1 ezrom = 4 senums (2 amnors). 1 onti = 1 ezrom+1 amnor+1 senum (7 senums).

This is how they measured smaller amounts:

A shiblon = 1 2 senum. They traded a shiblon for half a measure of barley. A shiblum = 1 2 shiblon. A leah = 1 2 shiblum. And 1 antion of gold = 3 shiblons (1.5 senums).

Now, these lawyers had accused Alma and Amulek in order to get gold and silver, for they were paid according to how much time they spent dealing with the law. This is why they stirred up the people to riot and to create all types of disturbances and wickedness. By doing this, they were hired and paid more often for the many law suits that were brought to them. Zeezrom, an expert in the ways of the devil to destroy what was good, asked Amulek, “Will you answer a few of my questions?” Amulek answered, “Yes, if it is according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me, for I will not say anything contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.” Then Zeezrom said, “Here are six onties of silver (worth 42 senines, or 42 days pay for a judge). I will give them to you if you deny the existence of a Supreme Being.”

Amulek replied, “Oh you child of hell, why do you tempt me? Don’t you know that the righteous yield to no such temptations? Do you believe there is a God, Zeezrom? Yes, you know there is, but you love money more than Him. You have lied to me before God, never intending to give me your silver. You only wanted me to deny the true and living God in order to obtain a legal way of destroying me. Because you have done this great evil, you will have your reward.”

Then Zeezrom asked Amulek the following questions, which Amulek answered accordingly: “You say there is a true and living God?” “Yes, there is.” “Is there more than one God?” “No.” “How do you know these things?” “An angel made them known to me.” “Who will come? The Son of God?” “Yes.” “Will He save His people in their sins?” “No, He will not save His people in their sins, for it is impossible for Him to deny His word.”

Then Zeezrom said to the people, “Be sure to remember that Amulek said there is but one God, yet he also said the Son of God will come, but He will not save His people. Amulek speaks as if he had the authority to command God!”

Then Amulek said, “You have lied again by saying I spoke as if I had the authority to command God. I said that He will not save His people in their sins. This is true because God cannot deny His word and save His people in their sins. And I cannot deny His word, which is, ‘No unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven.’ Now how can you be saved without inheriting the kingdom of heaven? And how can you inherit the kingdom of heaven if you are unclean, remaining in your sins?” Zeezrom then asked, “Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?” “Yes,” answered Amulek. “He is the very Eternal Father of heaven and earth, and He created all the things in them. He was at the beginning and He will be at the end, being the first and the last. He will come into the world to redeem His people and to take upon Himself their transgressions. And He will only grant salvation and eternal life to those who believe in Him. The wicked will remain as if no redemption were made, but they will still be resurrected to an immortal body. For the day will come when all will rise from the dead to stand before God and be judged according to their works. The death of Christ will free everyone from the death of their bodies. The spirit and the body will be reunited again in its perfect form. Every limb and joint will be perfectly restored. We will be brought to stand before God, having awareness as we do now. And when we stand before God we will completely remember all our guilt. This restoration will come to all—to the old and the young—to those in bondage and those who are free—to the wicked and to the righteous. Not even a hair of our heads will be lost. Every part of the body will be restored perfectly, and everyone will be brought before Christ the Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, who are one Eternal God. Then each person will be judged according to their good or evil works. I have just told you about the death and resurrection of the mortal body—that our spirits will unite with our immortal bodies, never to be divided.”

After Amulek said this, the people were astonished, and Zeezrom began to tremble. Amulek said more things that I, Mormon, have not written.