And nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand, in order that Hashem may turn from His burning anger and grant you compassion and be compassionate to you and multiply you as He swore to your fathers.
English: “And He will grant you compassion and be compassionate to you” — Rabbi Akiva’s view is that the minors are not put to death, for he holds that the verse “and He will grant you compassion” refers to compassion upon the minors themselves.
On the daf / in context: According to Rabbi Akiva the promise of compassion is realized by sparing the young children of the condemned city rather than by softening the hearts of the relatives.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Sanhedrin) — alternative understanding of the promised compassion.
What Is Learned
According to Rabbi Akiva the minors of an ir ha-nidachas are spared; the verse’s promise of compassion is directed toward them.