Orihah was the first king of the Jaredites and a son of Jared, one of the two leaders who brought the Jaredites to the promised land. Jared had four sons: Jacom, Gilgah, Mahah, and Orihah (Ether 6:14). When the people asked that one of these sons be anointed king, the brother of Jared objected, warning that “this thing leadeth into captivity,” but Jared told them to choose a king from among his sons (Ether 6:22-24). All the sons refused except Orihah, who was anointed king (Ether 6:27).
Under Orihah the people prospered and grew rich, and both Jared and his brother died during his reign (Ether 6:28-29). Orihah walked humbly before the Lord and taught his people what the Lord had done for their fathers (Ether 6:30). He executed judgment in righteousness all his days, which the record calls “exceedingly many” (Ether 7:1). He had thirty-one children, twenty-three of them sons (Ether 7:2). In his old age he fathered Kib, who reigned after him and was the father of Corihor (Ether 7:3).