The officers are probably civilian administrators supporting Joshua rather than military officers. In lists of Israelite leaders, the term is often paired with elders (Numbers 11:16–17, Deuteronomy 1:15–16; Deuteronomy 29:9, Deuteronomy 31:28) or judges (Deuteronomy 16:18, Joshua 23:2; Joshua 24:1; 1 Chronicles 23:4; 1 Chronicles 26:29).¹