COAL The Hebrew words most fre quently and properly translated coal are two.
1. burning coal, Lev. XVi:12; 2 Sam. xiv:7; xxii:9, t3; Job xli:2t; Ps. xviii:8, t2; cxx:4; cxl:to; Prov. vt:28; Is. xliv:19; Ezek. i:t3; xxiv:tt.
teh-khaunn', charcoal, coal, Prov.
xxvi:21; Is. xliv:t2; liv:16.
In the New Testament we have in John xviii: 18, 'a fire of coals.' The word here evidently means a mass of live charcoal, as also in xxi :9, and Rom. xii :20.
It is generally assumed that, in those numer ous passages of our version in which the word coal occurs, charcoal, or some other kind of artificial fuel, is to be understood; at all events, that the word has not its English meaning. The idea is founded upon the supposition that fossil coal was not known to the ancients as an article of fuel, but the existence of coal in Syria is placed beyond a doubt. Many indications of coal occur in the Lebanon mountains; the scams of this mineral even protrude through the superincum bent strata in various directions. It is also found at Cornali, eight miles from Beirout. A passage in Theophrastus indicates that "the smiths" of Greece used fossil coal nearly 3oo years B. C., but this does not prove that coal in the proper sense was known and employed by the Hebrews. Figuratitie. (1) God's judgments are com pared to coals or coals of juniper: they are ter rible to endure, and sometimes of long continu ance (Ps. ex] :to, and cxx :4). (2) The objects or
instruments of his judgments arc likened to coals ( Ps. xviii :8). (3 ) Christ's promise of forgive n(ss and grace is a live coal taken from the altar ; conveyed to us through his person and righteous ness; it melts our hearts into godly sorrow, warms them with love, and purges away our dross of sinful corruption (Is. vi :6). (4) A man's posterity is a burning coal; in them progenitors act, shine, and are comforted (2 Sam. xiv :7).
(5) Good deeds done to our enemies among men are as coals of fire heaped on their heads; they tend to melt and pain their hearts with grief for injuring us, and make them to love us; as they occasion the speedy infliction of terrible judg ments upon them (Rom. Xii:20; Prov. xxv :22) (6) Harlots and temptations to unchastity are as burning coals: they can scarcely be approached without inflaming our lusts and wounding our souls (Prov. vi :28). (7) Strife and contention are as burning coals, they spread terribly, and hurt and ruin everything near them (Prov. xxvi : 21). (Brown, Bib. Diet.).