Abraham asked God whether that was how it would be forever. And God replied that in the end, they would be redeemed by the horn of this ram. As says, “the Lord God will blow the horn, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.” Similarly, noting that reports that "Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him (, "ahar") a ram," a Midrash asked what "behind" (, "ahar") meant. Rabbi Judan taught that it meant "after all that happened", Israel would still fall into the clutches of sin and thus become victims of persecution. But they would be ultimately redeemed by the ram's horn, as says, "And the Lord God will blow the horn." Similarly, Rav Huna son of Rabbi Isaac read to teach that God showed Abraham the ram tearing itself free from one thicket and getting entangled in another. God told Abraham that in a similar manner, Abraham's children would be caught by the nations and entangled in troubles, being dragged from empire to empire, from Babylon to Media, from Media to Greece, and from Greece to Edom (Rome), but they would ultimately be redeemed through the horns of the ram. And hence says, "The Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord God will blow the horn." Rabbi Josiah taught in his father's name that God created the ram that reports Abraham sacrificed in lieu of Isaac on the eve of the first Sabbath at twilight (indicating the miraculous nature of its appearance). Some say the merit of Abraham's actions saved later Israelites. reports that after David ordered a census of the Israelites, God punished the Israelites with a plague. then reports, "And as He was about to destroy, the Lord beheld, and He repented Him." The Gemara asked what God beheld that caused God to withhold destruction. Samuel taught that God beheld the ashes of Isaac. For in Abraham says, "God will see for Himself the lamb." (Thus God saw the merit of the sacrifice that Abraham intended to bring.) Alternatively, Rabbi Johanan taught that God saw the Temple. For explained the meaning of the name that Abraham gave to the mountain where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac to be, "In the mount where the Lord is seen." (Solomon later built the Temple on that mountain, and God saw the merit of the sacrifices there.) Rabbi Jacob bar Iddi and Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani differed on the matter.