Nahash apparently did not know of Israel’s desire for a closer organization of the tribes under a king. If the men of Jabesh-gilead knew of the plan—and all the tribes were represented at the selection of Saul in Mizpah (ch. 10:17)— it seems that it meant little to them. The attitude of Jabesh-gilead gives an idea of the disorganized condition of the nation, not so much owing to their need of a king as to their rejection of the Lord’s plan. Selfishness had increased to the point where any solution offered by God would not be acceptable to the entire body (see ch. 10:27). It was not that Nahash had any special grudge against the elders of Jabesh more than the rest of Israel; his purpose was to show contempt for all Israel by inflicting injury on some of their number. In the same way the adversary of souls schemes to heap contempt on the hosts of heaven by bringing suffering to one lost soul and then charging that such punishment is the natural result of serving God.