Rome supports the Jews
15 Then Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome with letters to the kings and countries:
16
Lucius, consul of the Romans. To King Ptolemy. Greetings!
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Jewish messengers came to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance. The high priest Simon and the Jewish people sent them.
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They have brought us a gold shield weighing one thousand manehs.
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Because of this, we have decided to write to the kings and countries to tell them that they should not seek their harm or make war against them, their cities, or their country, or make alliance with those who war against them.
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We are pleased to accept the shield.
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Therefore, if any troublemakers have run away to your lands from their country, hand them over to the high priest Simon. Then he can punish them according to Jewish law.
22
The consul wrote the same thing to King Demetrius and to Attalus, Ariarathes, and Arsaces.
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He also wrote it to all the countries—to Sampsames, the Spartans, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.
24
They also sent a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.