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NASB | 1 Kings 7:23 ¶ Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in circumference. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Kings 7:23 ¶ Now he made the Sea (basin) of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, five cubits high and thirty cubits in circumference. [Ex 30:17-21; 2 Chr 4:6] |
Bible Question: On another forum called e-philosopher, a person found a referance in 1 kings 7:23. This verse shows an error in the calculation of pi. Any ideas as to why? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Nibelhim... Apparently, this argument is quite an old one. Nothing new under the sun! :-) The best explanation I've read was written by Dr. John Gill some centuries ago. I hope it helps. In Him, Doc Sceptics have ridiculed the Bible for saying that the mathematical constant pi is 3 instead of the more precise 3.14159. (This number is an "irrational number" and needs an infinite number digits to specify it exactly.) Two explanations for the apparent lack of precision in the measurement are given. 1) The circumference given may be for the inside circumference and the diameter may be the diameter including the thickness of the rim. This would yield a very accurate mathematical result for the inside circumference of thirty cubits. The outside circumference would be about 31.4 cubits giving a rim thickness of four inches or an hand breadth agreeing with 1 Kings 7:26. 2) In 1 Kings 7:26 we read the vessel "was wrought like the brim of a cup." That is the brim on the top of the vessel was wider than the main part of the vessel. The diameter would be given for the brim. If the brim or lip extended about four inches past the main body of the vessel then the outside circumference of the main part of the vessel would be exactly thirty cubits. In each case the mathematical ratio for circumference of the circle is pi d, where "d" is the diameter and pi is the number 3.14159 ..... For a more complete discussion on this see the article by Russel Grigg. (r). Editor.) |
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Questions and/or Subjects for 1 Kin 7:23 | Author | ||
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LocalSaint | ||
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Nibelhim | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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Morant61 |