John Gill Commentary Numbers 1:16

"These are they that were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel." — Numbers 1:16 (ASV)

These [were] the renowned of the congregation
The most famous and eminent among the people, for their birth and pedigree, or for their excellent qualities of wisdom, courage, and the like; or "the called of the congregation" ^F4 , whom God had called by name and selected from the rest of the congregation to the above service, whereby great honour was done them: Aben Ezra says, the sense is, that the congregation did nothing until they had called them; with which agrees the note of Jarchi, "who were called to every business of importance in the congregation:"

princes of the tribes of their fathers ;
as Elizur was prince of the children of Reuben, (Numbers 7:30) ; the same is there said of the rest in their respective tribes:

heads of thousands in Israel ;
the congregation of Israel being divided into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, by the advice of Jethro, (Exodus 18:21) ; each of these divisions had a ruler over them, and thousands being the highest number, these princes were chiliarchs, rulers or heads of thousands.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F4: (hdeh yayrq) "convocati coetus", Montanus, Drusius; "convocati e coetu", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.