34
I confirm their rights to the land of Judea and the three regions of Ephraim, Lydda, and Arimathea, which are hereby annexed to Judea from Samaria with all the lands belonging to them. This will be of benefit to everyone who goes to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice, since payments of the annual tax on produce and fruit from these lands will no longer be made to the king, but to the Temple.
35
And I also grant them relief from the payment of revenues now due me from tithes, tolls, salt taxes, and special taxes.
36
None of the provisions mentioned in this letter shall ever be canceled in the future.
37
" "You are required to see that a complete copy of this decree is made and given to Jonathan, to be posted in a prominent place on the Temple hill.' "
38
When King Demetrius saw that the land was peaceful under his rule and there was no further resistance, he disbanded his whole army and sent everyone home, except the soldiers he had hired from the Greek islands. This made all the soldiers who had served under his predecessors hate him because they had lost their source of income.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.