Pi and the diameter and circumference of the molten sea in front of Solomon's temple

1 Kings 7:23 He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in shape. Its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it. (World English Bible, public domain)

The ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle is pi, an irrational number. The first few digits of pi are 3.14159. Taking 1 Kings 7:23 as a math text means that it is wrong about the dimensions of the molten sea, apparently reporting the ratio of the circumference to the diameter as three, or that the sea wasn't exactly round.

Answers in Genesis defends the accuracy of the bible on this point. Their defense, however, involves significant figures. But significant figures, according to this source, weren't considered until long after the temple was built. Or, the article from Answers in Genesis says, perhaps the circumference was thirty cubits, measuring the circle formed by the water in the molten sea, but not the container itself, inside the metal container, whereas the diameter was measured across the outside of the construction, including the container. 

It seems, however, that the description of the building of the temple wasn't meant to give directions, or exact sizes. There are no detailed directions for other parts of the temple, just brief general descriptions. (Lest there be any doubt, the illustration at the top of this post is an artist's conception, and may differ significantly from the original Temple's design.)

Consider these verses:

1 Kings 7:15 For he fashioned the two pillars of bronze, eighteen cubits high apiece; and a line of twelve cubits encircled either of them. 16 He made two capitals of molten bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars; and there were two rows around on the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars: and he did so for the other capital. 19 The capitals that were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily work, four cubits. 20 There were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network. There were two hundred pomegranates in rows around the other capital.

The Bible doesn't tell us what a net of checker work, or wreaths of chain work, were like, or what lily work might mean. What kind of lilies? Lily buds, flowers, leaves, or the entire above-ground shoot? What was a "capital" like? It seems likely that the ten cubits and thirty cubits in verse 23 were the same sort of description -- "you see, it was about thirty cubits around, and about ten cubits across." There's no valid reason to accuse the Bible of error on this point, or to defend descriptions from pre-Christian Jewish culture by using recent measuring practices.

The Bible is not a math text, or a detailed blueprint for temple construction. It does tell us that God expected and valued good workmanship, and provided a beautiful, well-constructed place for worship for the Israelites.

Thanks for reading.