the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Coal
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or Expressed in the Bible by two words, 
(Proverbs 26:21; Isaiah 44:12, 54:16) and
(Psalms 18:9 [A. V. 8]; Proverbs 25:22). Since 
means "to glow" or "to burn," 
probably means "the glowing," and 
, "black coal" (compare Proverbs 26:21), although this distinction does not always obtain (Isaiah 44:12, 54:16). Of course, charcoal is always meant, which was made of tamarisk and broom, the kind formed of the thick roots of the latter (
) giving an especially strong and lasting heat, and being still much sought in the East (Robinson, "Biblical Researches in Palestine," 1:203; Germ. ed., 3:683). According to Jeremiah 6:29, the flame was fanned by a bellows (
), probably the ancient variety worked with the feet and hands; but in a picture found in Wilkinson's "Ancient Egyptians," 3:339, the Egyptians are shown using for that purpose long reeds protected against the flame by long metal points.
Though the coal-fire was used chiefly for cooking food, and for baking bread, meat, and fish (Isaiah 44:19), it was also used for heating the homes. In the winter, live coals were placed in a brazier standing in the middle of the room (
, Jeremiah 36:22; 
, Zechariah 12:6); in the houses of the poor they were placed in a hole in the floor. As there were no chimneys, the smoke found vent either through the door or through the grated window (
), which was generally rather high in the wall (Hosea 13:3).
The word "coal" is often used in a metaphorical sense: 2 Samuel 14:7 speaks of the "quenching of the coal" of a man, meaning the complete annihilation of his issue; while in Proverbs 25:22 kindness bestowed upon an enemy is called "heaping coals of fire upon his head," since it tends to waken his deadened conscience and help him to realize his wrong. Ecclus. (Sirach) 8:10 compares the smoldering and easily roused passion of the godless man to the coal that is easily lighted and breaks forth into flame.
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Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Coal'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/c/coal.html. 1901.
