אֶ֫לֶף

1. numeral:
  a. used with noun alone; mostly before noun Num 35:4; Josh 7:3; Neh 3:13; 1Chr 18:4 +; after noun (late) 1Chr 12:35 + 6 t. Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah; בָּאַפָּה ׳א Num 35:5 (4 t. in verse); Ezek 47:3 (strike out Co); the noun always plural when preceding, sometimes when following, 1Sam 25:2; 1Kgs 3:4; 2Kgs 18:23 = Isa 36:8; 2Chr 30:24; Ps 90:4; Job 42:12; Eccl 6:6 elsewhere singular אישׁ Judg 9:49; Judg 15:15; Judg 15:16; Josh 7:3 +; אַמָּה Num 35:4 + (so SI); דּוֺר Deut 7:9 +, compare 1Chr 18:4; 1Chr 19:6; 2Kgs 15:19; Job 42:12; Song 4:4; Isa 7:23, noun sometimes collective; ׳א plural construct Mic 6:7; Ps 119:72; Gen 24:60 noun not expressed (or not fully) Gen 20:16; Num 31:5; Num 31:6 +; distributive אֶלֶף ֗֗֗ אֶלֶף Num 31:4 multiplicative Deut 1:11 פְּעָמִים ׳א; indefinite for great number (plural) Exod 20:6; Exod 34:7; Deut 5:10; Jer 32:18, (singular) Deut 32:30; Eccl 6:6 +.
  b. ׳א + other number usually precedes it Exod 38:25 + often; but following רִבּוֺא Ezra 2:64 + 2 t.; it follows also smaller number Num 3:50; 1Kgs 5:12 (so SI); the noun following in singular Exod 28:25 + 8 t.; plural 2Sam 8:4 + 2 t.; noun precedes, in plural (late) Dan 12:12 + 2 t.; noun not expressed Exod 38:28 + often
  c. ׳א X other number always following Exod 12:37 +; usual order is no. X ׳א + additional no. (if any) + noun (if expressed) Num 31:52; Judg 20:35 compare Exod 12:37; 2Kgs 3:4 (twice in verse) +; less often noun + no. X ׳א Num 31:33; 1Kgs 8:63 +; (other combinations see Exod 38:26; Num 26:51; Num 31:32; Ezek 48:30; 1Chr 29:7 etc.); ׳א usually singular Num 11:21 +; except after units, where plural absolute Num 1:46; Judg 20:34 + (so MI); seldom plural construct Exod 32:28; Judg 4:10; Job 1:3 (twice in verse); (noun mostly singular when following Judg 4:10; 1Kgs 12:21+, yet plural Josh 4:13; 1Sam 13:5 +; when preceding it is plural 1Chr 5:21 +, or collective Num 31:33; 1Sam 25:2; 1Kgs 8:63; 2Chr 7:5 +); אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים 1Chr 21:5; 1Chr 22:14; 2Chr 14:8 אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן Ps 68:18, compare שִׁנְאָן; בְּהַרֲרֵי אָ֑לֶף Ps 50:10, read אֵל compare Ps 36:7, Ol Bi Che; yet see Hup De. —

2. a thousand, a company of 1000 men, as united under one superior, or leader, hence ׳(שָׂרֵי) שַׂר א Exod 18:21; Exod 18:25 compare Num 31:14 +; compare יִשְׂרָאֵל ׳רָאשֵׁי א Num 1:16; Num 10:4; Josh 22:21; Josh 22:30 & see below; compare also 1Sam 29:2 especially family, etc. Judg 6:15; 1Sam 10:19 (|| שֵׁבֶט & compare מִשְׁפַּחַת v1Sam 10:21); compare Mic 5:2 — Num 10:36 (רִבְבוֺת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) Num 31:5; Josh 22:14; 1Sam 23:23 apparently shew transition to this technical use. **[אָלַף] verb denominative Hiph`il Ps 144:13 מַאֲלִיפוֺת producing thousands (subject צאֹן).