FWIW, it does not appear that they were trying to use any kind of biblical formula. I don't see any attempt to make pi=3.
Some guy did some experimenting with squaring circles and figured the area was actually 3.2. The guy had a buddy who was a legislater who intoduced the bill and would give the guy royalties to anyone who used his value. Ironically, it was lousy scientific and definitely not religious.