CSE Seminar Notebook - Free Bible Resources

The Bible and the Value of π“Andhemadeamoltensea,ten cubits from the one brim tothe other: it was round allabout, and his height was fivecubits: andalineofthirtycubitsdidcompassitroundabout.And under the brim of it roundabout there were knopscompassing it, ten in a cubit,compassing the sea roundabout it: the knops were cast intworows,whenitwascast.Itstoodupontwelveoxen,threelooking toward the north, andthree looking toward the west,and three looking toward thesouth, and three lookingtoward the east: and the seawas set above upon them, andall their hinder parts wereinward.And it was an handbreadththick, and the brim thereof waswrought like the brim of acup,with flowers of lilies: itcontainedtwothousandbaths.”—IKings7:23-26Does the Bible contain amathematical error?IKings 7:23–26 and II Chronicles 4:2–5 describe ahuge brassbowl(sea)builtbyKingSolomon.Ifthediameterofthisbowlwas10 cubits, then the circumference should have been31.415926...cubits, not just 30 cubits! Any math student will tellyouthatthecircumferenceofacircleisfoundbytakingthediametertimes Pi ( π). This apparent mathematical error caused me, as anewChristian,todoubttheaccuracyoftheBible.Theanswerissosimple!The diameter of 10 cubits is from outer rim to outer rim, thewayanyonewouldmeasureacircularobject.Thecircumferenceof30 cubits, however, was of the inner circle, after subtracting thethicknessofthebrass(twohandbreadths—oneforeachside)fromwhich the bowl was made. This would be the number needed tocalculatethevolumeofwater.Checkforyourself.Substitutethelengthofyourcubit(elbowtolongestfingertip)fortheletterCinthefollowingformula,andsolveforH.30C÷π+2H=10CThewidthofyourhandbreadthwillbetheresult.Forexample,my cubit is 20 inches long. If Ihad built the brass bowl, the innerdiameterwouldhaveacircumferenceof600inches(30x20inches)and adiameter of 190.986 inches (600 inches ÷ 3.14159). Thedifference between the two diameters is 9.014 inches (two of myhandbreadths).Restassured.God makes no mistakes, mathematical or otherwise. TheScripturesdonotcontainerror.Bytheway,Solomonbuiltthisseain 1000 B.C., long before the Greeks rediscovered Pi ( π). We maynot understand some things at first glance, but the problem iswith us, not with the Bible. Please be sure you are onthe solidfoundationofGod’sWord,savedbythebloodofChrist.Dr. Kent Hovind • office (850) 479-DINO (3466) •Fax 479-8562 38