25. Although some lawless traitors of his own nation had made accusations against Jonathan,
26. the king still treated him just as his predecessors had done. He honoured him in the presence of all his advisers,
27. and confirmed him as High Priest, restoring all his former honours 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 ten tonnes 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 noble Lasthenes about you:
32. “ ‘King Demetrius to the noble Lasthenes, greetings.