Heth was a Jaredite king, son of Com, who took the throne by killing his father. He embraced the old secret plans and used his own sword to kill Com and reign in his place (Ether 9:26).
When prophets came warning that the people must repent or face a famine, the people refused their words and cast them out, casting some into pits to die, all by Heth’s command (Ether 9:29). A dearth then came on the land with no rain, and poisonous serpents appeared, killing many and driving the people’s flocks southward. As the people began to perish they repented and cried to the Lord, who sent rain and revived the land (Ether 9:28-35).
Heth died in the famine; his whole household perished with him except his son Shez, who then rebuilt the broken people and established a righteous kingdom (Ether 10:1).