The lattice enthalpies of the compounds K(3)MF(6), where M runs from scandium to gallium, are used to show that conventional explanations of the origin of ligand field stabilization energies are incomplete. The usual double-bowl shape is observed, but the bowls are substantially larger than the orbital stabilization energies alone would imply. A new analysis suggests that the discrepancy is due almost entirely to irregularities in the variation in the interelectronic repulsion of the d(n) shell with n, coupled with the nephelauxetic effect.