33
Moreover I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews who were carried captive out of the land of Judea into any part of my kingdom, and I will that all my officers remit the tribute even on their cattle.
34
Furthermore, I will that all the feasts and Sabbaths and new moons and solemn days, and the three days before the feast and the three days after the feast, shall all be days of immunity and freedom for all the Jews in my realm.
35
Also no man shall have authority to meddle with them or to molest any of them in any matter.
36
"I will further that there be enrolled among the king's forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay shall be given, as belongeth to all the king's forces.
37
And of them some shall be placed in the king's strongholds, of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom in positions of trust. And I will that their overseers and governors be from among themselves and that they live by their own laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea.
38
"And concerning the three governments that are added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Judea, that they may be reckoned to be under one, not bound to obey other authority than the high priest's.
39
As for Ptolemais and the land pertaining thereto, I give it as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary expenses of the sanctuary.
40
Moreover, I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the king's accounts from the appertaining places.
41
And all the overplus, which the officers paid not in as in former times, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of the temple.
42
And besides this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they took from the uses for the temple out of the accounts year by year, even those things shall be released, because they appertain to the priests who minister.
43
And whosoever they be who flee unto the temple at Jerusalem or be within the liberties thereof, being indebted unto the king or for any other matter, let them be at liberty and all that they have in my realm.