Demetrius’ letter to Jonathan
28 So Jonathan asked the king to free Judea and the three Samaritan districts from the payment of taxes. And he promised him three hundred talents.
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The king agreed. He wrote a letter to Jonathan about all these things:
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King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan and to the nation of the Jews. Greetings!
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This is a copy of the letter that we wrote about you to our advisor Lasthenes. We're sending it to you also so that you may know what it says.
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Greetings from King Demetrius to his father Lasthenes.
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We have decided to treat the nation of the Jews well. They are our friends and keep their obligations to us. They show goodwill toward us.
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We have confirmed, as their possession, the territory of Judea and the three districts of Aphairema, Lydda, and Rathamin. The latter districts, with the entire region bordering them, were added to Judea from Samaria. To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem, we have granted release from the royal taxes the king formerly received from them each year, from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees.
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Furthermore, we grant them release from all other payments due to us from the tenth-part gifts, the taxes, the salt pits, and the crown taxes from now on.
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These exemptions are never to be canceled.
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Therefore, be sure to make a copy of this letter. Give it to Jonathan and display it in a prominent place on the holy mountain.