Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.
H. P. Smith wrote that the author of this chapter seemed to be totally unaware that Saul had been chosen as Israel's king at Mizpah;[3] but, as we shall note below, the sacred text flatly denies such an opinion.  In fact, Samuel, by sending every one home following the events at Mizpah, actually anticipated something very similar to what is related here  (1 Samuel 10:25,26).  The failure of Israel unanimously to accept Saul as their king required that God would providentially bring about some further event that would effectively achieve his purpose.  That event was the invasion of Nahash, his shameful and insulting treatment of the citizens of Jabesh-gilead, and Saul's vigorous and successful response to it.