Bible Dictionary
PATE
“Pate” is an older English word for the crown or top of the head. In Psalm 7:16 it is used poetically in parallel with “head.”
Definition
Pate is an old English word for the crown or top of the head. It is used poetically as a synonym for the head or scalp.
Biblical Usage
In Psalm 7:16, “pate” occurs in parallel with “head”: violence comes down upon the offender’s own pate. The wording makes the Hebrew poetic parallelism evident.
Historical Background
The word translates a Hebrew term commonly rendered “crown of the head” or “scalp.” Earlier English translators used “pate” in this poetic passage.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>pat (qodhqodh): The word usually translated "crown," "crown of the head" (Ge 49:26; De 28:35; 33:16,20; 2Sa 14:25; Job 2:7; Isa 3:17; Jer 2:16; 48:45) and "scalp" (Ps 68:21) is rendered "pate" in Ps 7:16 in agreement with earlier English translators since Coverdale: "His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violence shall come down upon his own pate." The reason for the choice of the word lies evidently in the desire to make the Hebrew parallelism with "head" (ro'sh) apparent. The same object has, however, been achieved differently in another poetical passage (Ge 49:26 parallel De 33:16), namely, by the juxtaposition of "head" and "crown of the head."</p><p>H. L. E. Luering</p>