Coal. The first and most frequent use of the word rendered coal is a live ember, burning fuel. Proverbs 26:21. In 2 Samuel 22:9; 2 Samuel 22:13, "coals of fire" are put metaphorically, for the lightning, s proceeding from God. Psalms 18:8; Psalms 18:12-13; Psalms 140:10. In Proverbs 26:21, fuel, not yet lighted, is clearly signified. The fuel meant in the above passage is probably charcoal, and not coal in our sense of the word.