phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Kill with kindness; Heap coals on his head

Posted by ESC on May 02, 2003

In Reply to: Killing with kindness posted by ESC on May 02, 2003

: : Can you please tell me where/how this phrase came about? Also, what does it mean, exactly? Thank you, Saxon.

: From the archives:

: : From Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew
: : "This is the way to kill a wife with kindness"

: Somewhere in the Bible it states that you should "heap coals of kindness" on the head of your enemy.

I found this online "lesson" that explains the concept:

"Of Eleanor Roosevelt, Ralph McGill wrote: 'She got even in a way that was almost cruel. She forgave them.' Thousands of years ago, a man named Solomon expressed similar sentiments. He said that if you want to heap hot coals on the heads of your enemies, be kind to them. He also said, 'And the Lord will reward you' (Proverbs 25:21-22)." From "How Does God Reward for NOT Getting Even" by Carey Kinsolving,
columnist, Crosswalk.com, Accessed May 2, 2003.

Proverbs 25
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

I found the verse at Bible Gateway -- www.biblegateway.com/

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