26
the king still treated him just as his predecessors had done. He honored him in the presence of all his advisers,
27
and confirmed him as High Priest, restoring all his former honors and appointing him to the highest rank among the "Friends of the King."
28
Jonathan asked the king to release the territory of Judea and the three regions of Samaria from the payment of taxes, promising that if Demetrius would do that, he would pay him a lump sum of 22,000 pounds of silver.
29
The king agreed and wrote a letter to Jonathan to confirm all this:
30
"King Demetrius to King Jonathan and to the Jewish nation, greetings.
31
"For your information I am sending a copy of the letter I have written to the Honorable Lasthenes about you:
32
" "King Demetrius to the Honorable Lasthenes, greetings.
33
I have decided to grant the Jewish nation certain benefits because they are our loyal allies and keep their treaty obligations.
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.
1
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.