Midrasch zu Jechezkiel 34:6

(Fol. 50) Our Rabbis were taught: It happened to the daughter of the well-digger, Nechunia, that she fell into a large well. They came and informed R. Chanina b. Dosa of it. During the first hour he said to them: "Peace [to her];" and so also during the second. At the third hour, [when there was fear that she might have died], he said that she was out of the well. When the girl was asked who saved her, she said that a ram passed around the well led by an old man, who saved her. When R. Chanina b. Dosa was asked whether he knew of her safety by prophecy, he said: "I am neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I thought to myself, Is it possible that the children of that righteous man [Nechunia, who was digging wells to enable the pilgrims to drink water from them] shall die by the very thing he was taking so much pains [to prepare for the welfare of Israel]?" Said R. Acha: "Notwithstanding this, his son died of thirst. The reason is, as the passage says, (Ps. 1, 3), And round Him there rageth a mighty storm, from which it may be inferred that the Holy One, praised be He! is particular with His pious, even on a hairbreadth." R. Chanina says: "From the following passage (Ibid 89, 8) A God dreaded in the great council of the holy ones, and feared by all that are about Him." R. Chanina said: "Whoever says that the Holy One, praised be He, is lax [in dealing out justice], his life shall be let loose (i.e., shall be outlawed, for he encourages people to sin), as it is said (Deut. 32, 4) He is the Rock; His work is perfect; for all His ways are just." R. Chana, and according to others, R. Samuel b. Nachmeni, said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ez. 34, 6) Long suffering, (in the plural), and not (in the singular)? Long-suffering towards both the upright and the wicked."