Proverbs 25:21 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

If thine enemy be hungry, &c.— The plain meaning of this seems to be, "Be kind to your enemy; for that is the surest way to gain his love, and God's blessing." It is true, coals of fire are seldom taken in a good sense, when used metaphorically; they commonly signify punishment or vengeance; but then they are always said or supposed to be heaped up by God himself. And surely, God's heaping up coals may well be allowed to be very different from ours; for to Him vengeance belongs, but to us it belongs not. But why may not coals of fire, so necessary to the use and comfort of life, be used in a good sense too? It is certain, however, that a coal of fire is once so used. 2 Samuel 14:7. And so they shall quench my coal of fire which is left, i.e. "shall deprive me of my little remaining comfort." And once, the metaphor, though by a different Hebrew word, is applied to love. Song of Solomon 8:6. Love is strong as death; the coals thereof are coals of fire; which hath a most vehement flame: and it appears evident enough from the verse following the text, as quoted by St. Paul, Romans 12:20 that the phrase ought to be understood in a good sense; for he subjoins, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. "Overcome evil with good," evidently explains heaping coals of fire upon an enemy's head, by acts of goodness: it is to soften his heart, and dispose him to friendship; which is the natural effect of a generous unexpected goodness. Mr. Benson conjectures, that the phrase, heaping coals of fire, &c. is taken from melting metals in a crucible; for when they melt gold or silver in that manner, they do not only put fire under and round all the sides, but also heap coals of fire upon the head of the crucible, and so melt the metal. In allusion to this, Christians are to heap coals of fire, acts of kindness and beneficence, upon the head of an enemy; and so melt down his obstinacy, bring him to temper, and overcome his evil by their good. This is noble, glorious, reasonable, and truly Christian. See Taylor on the Epistle to the Romans, and Schultens' elaborate note on the place.