Nehemiah 7:5
And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
The prompting came after the wall was finished in fifty-two days, the gates were set up, and proper officers and watches were appointed in B.C. 444, following work for the poor. Enemies were still active at that time, and watchmen were set all around, each in his watch opposite his own house. The city was large and great, but the people inside were few and the houses were not built.
It belongs to the restoration period in Jewish history when Nehemiah served as governor, and to the account of Babylonian life in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. God put it into Nehemiah's heart and prompted him to gather together the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned and counted by genealogy or family descent. He found a written register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first and first returned from exile and captivity, giving again the number of the Jews and introducing the record of their names and genealogies.
The gathering and census was an act of unwearied energy to begin a further reformation in the lives and worship of the people before going further with building in particular. The verse stands in the Nehemiah 7 to 9 section that teaches reading God's law attentively, within the work of rebuilding the city wall, establishing the government, and carrying out needed reforms, especially honoring the Sabbath. Such genealogical lists are records of people, not promises.