The Value of π and the Old Testament

Abstract

MANY recent authors of texts containing an account of the historical development of the numerical value of π write under the misapprehension that in the Old Testament its apparent value is 3. Concerning this value, Prof. E. T. Bell writes¹: “This approximation to π is famous for its occurrence in the Old Testament”. Quoting 2 Chron. 4, 2, Prof. L. Hogben deduces² “The ancient Hebrews were content with taking π as 3”. The late Prof. G. H. Hardy could scarcely have examined his two quotations, otherwise he would not have made the blunt observation³: “It is stated in the Bible that π = 3”. P. Ehibreil quotes⁴ 1 Kings 7, 23, and contrasts the approximation with Shanks's value of π to 707 decimal places. Quoting 2 Chron. 4, 2, Prof. T. Dantzig comments⁵ that this description indicates that the Jews held that π is equal to three. Very recently, Archbold quotes⁶ Dubreil that the Bible gives the value of π as 3, thereby perpetuating the error in the minds of the next generation of students who read his text. These writers therefore fall into two classes, the first regarding π as actually given by 3, and the second regarding the measurements given as only approximate. Even some Biblical commentators have fallen into similar error; for example, Curtis and Madsen in their commentary⁷ on 2 Chron. 4, 2 suggest that the numbers are only approximations.