Heth, coveting his father’s throne, employs a secret combination (v. 26) to achieve his goal. Obviously, the plot was not as secret as he hoped, and Ether candidly identifies him as a murderer. It is interesting that, despite his means of seizing power, he still appears on the king-list. Corihor steals the throne; although he is from the right lineage, he does not appear on the king-list. Akish also rules but is not listed. Why, them, does the murderous Heth appear on this list? Moroni does not answer this question, but he blames Heth for the kingdom’s disintegration.
Chronology: Using the thirty-year average for each reign dates Heth from 860 B.C. to 830 B.C.