Editing Molten Sea (section)

==Approximation of π==
{{main|Approximations of π#Imputed biblical value}}

The biblical description that the bowl has a diameter of 10 cubits and a circumference of 30 cubits suggest that in the construction of the basin, {{pi}} was approximated with the integer value 3. This is consistent with the practice in [[Babylonian mathematics]] at the time ([[Deuteronomistic history|6th century BC]]), but it has given rise to debate within [[rabbinical Judaism]] from an early period due to the concern that the biblical text might here be inaccurate. <!-- 1Ki 7:23 "And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about." even within the accuracy used, the claim is π=30/10, which could have been given to better accuracy, as 31/10, even with integer numbers of cubits-->

[[Rabbi Nehemiah]] in the 2nd century argued that the text is not claiming that {{pi}} equals 3, but that instead the Hebrews measured the diameter from the outside edge of the rim of the bowl, while the circumference was measured from under the rim, since it cannot be measured with a cord along the outside edge of the rim. After accounting for the width of the brim—"about an hand breadth"—this results in a ratio closer to the true value of {{pi}}. Taking a ''[[cubit]]'' to be about {{Convert|18|in|cm|0}} and a ''[[handbreadth]]'' to be about {{convert|4|in|cm|0}}, the ratio of the described dimensions of the bowl differs from {{pi}} by less than 1%.<ref>{{cite book |author=Petr Beckmann |author-link=Petr Beckmann |title=[[A History of Pi]] |publisher=[[St. Martin's Press|St. Martin's]] |date=1971 |pages=75–76}}</ref>

Rabbi Max Munk pointed to the fact that the word for measuring line in the respective verses (1 Kings 7:23, 2 Chronicles 4:2) is written in two different ways, as קוה and קו. That hints to two different measures. If the Hebrew letters are read as numbers, the first form of the word for measuring line adds to 111 and the second form to 106. The relation, i.e. the quotient of these two measuring tapes, is 1.0472. And if this number, the relation of these two measuring tapes, is multiplied with Solomon's simple pi of 3, the result reads: 3.1416, the value of {{pi}} accurate to four digits.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Elishakoff |first1=Isaac  |last2=Pines |first2=Elliot |year=2007 |title=Do Scripture and Mathematics Agree on the Number π? |url=https://u.cs.biu.ac.il/~tsaban/Pdf/ElishakoffPines.pdf |journal=B'Or Ha'Torah |volume=17 |pages=133–153 }}</ref>