But if thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink. For, doing this, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Francis Patrick Kenrick
Prov. XXV. 21. This may have reference to the severity of Divine justice. The Christian, by abstaining from revenge, leaves his offender to the chastise- ment of God, which, like hot coals, shall fall upon him, to torture and destroy him: " He does not merely threaten, but he represents the punishment in vivid language ; for he does not say : Thou wilt be revenged of him ; but. Thou wilt heap burning coals on his head." St. Chrysostom. St. Augustin, however, explains it of the beneficial effects of kindues-s, which may enkindle love in the heart of an enemy.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.