'Thousands' in the Bible
These were the ones chosen from the community, leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
"But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, must come to you.
And when it came to rest he would say, "Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!"
So a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for battle in all, were provided out of the thousands of Israel.
But Moses was furious with the officers of the army, the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses
All the gold of the offering they offered up to the Lord from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds weighed 16,750 shekels.
So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.