Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 21:1

"Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife." — Judges 21:1 (ASV)

Had sworn. —The circumstance has not been mentioned in the account of the proceedings at Mizpeh. It is clear from the sequel (Judges 21:18) that the oath was not only an oath but “a vow under a curse,” as in Acts 23:14.