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Coal

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(glow). The coal of scripture is charcoal, or embers (Prov. 26:21²¹As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. (Proverbs 26:21); John 18:18; 21:9¹⁸And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. (John 18:18)
⁹As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. (John 21:9)); heated stones (1 Kings 19:6⁶And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. (1 Kings 19:6); Isa. 6:6⁶Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: (Isaiah 6:6)); metaphorical (2 Sam. 22:9-13⁹There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. ¹⁰He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. ¹¹And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. ¹²And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. ¹³Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. (2 Samuel 22:9‑13); Psa. 18:8,12-13⁸There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. (Psalm 18:8)
¹²At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. ¹³The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. (Psalm 18:12‑13); Rom. 12:20²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:20)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

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Charcoal

Mineral coal is now known to exist in the Lebanon range, but was unknown in Biblical times. Fires were seldom needed for warmth, and were as a rule used only for the cooking of food: the fire named in John 18:18¹⁸And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. (John 18:18) was in the night; food was cooked by charcoal or by warming the ovens with any vegetable refuse. The coal generally referred to in the Old Testament was charcoal; but other words are used which imply the hot or glowing stones on which cakes were cooked (1 Kings 19:6⁶And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. (1 Kings 19:6); Song of Sol. 8:6⁶Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. (Song of Solomon 8:6); Isa. 6:6⁶Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: (Isaiah 6:6); Hab. 3:5⁵Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. (Habakkuk 3:5)).

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Heaping coals of fire on an enemy’s head by kindness (Prov. 25:21-22²¹If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: ²²For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. (Proverbs 25:21‑22); Rom. 12:20²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:20)) becomes a test to him (as metal is tested by the fire), the kindness shown him will either bring about contrition and friendship, or harden him yet the more.