20. In those days Jonathan gathered together the people of Judea to attack the citadel in Jerusalem, and they set up many siege engines against it.
21. But some transgressors of the law, enemies of their own nation, went to the king and informed him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel.
22. When Demetrius heard this, he was enraged; and as soon as he heard it, he set out and came to Ptolemais. He wrote to Jonathan to discontinue the siege and to meet him for a conference at Ptolemais as soon as possible.
23. On hearing this, Jonathan ordered the siege to continue. He selected some elders and priests of Israel and put himself at risk.
24. Taking with him silver, gold and apparel, and many other presents, he went to the king at Ptolemais, and found favor with him.
25. Although certain renegades of his own nation kept on bringing charges against him,
26. the king treated him just as his predecessors had done and exalted him in the presence of all his Friends.
27. He confirmed him in the high priesthood and in the other honors he had previously held, and had him enrolled among his Chief Friends.
28. Jonathan asked the king to exempt Judea and the three districts of Samaria from tribute, promising him in return three hundred talents.
29. The king agreed and wrote a letter to Jonathan about all these matters as follows:
30. “King Demetrius sends greetings to his brother Jonathan and to the Jewish nation.
31. We are sending you, for your information, a copy of the letter that we wrote to Lasthenes our Kinsman concerning you.
32. ‘King Demetrius sends greetings to his father Lasthenes.
33. Upon the Jewish nation, who are our friends and observe their obligations to us, we have decided to bestow benefits because of the good will they show us.
34. Therefore we confirm their possession, not only of the territory of Judea, but also of the three districts of Aphairema, Lydda, and Ramathaim. These districts, together with all their dependencies, are hereby transferred from Samaria to Judea for those who offer sacrifices in Jerusalem in lieu of the royal taxes the king used to receive yearly from the produce of earth and trees.
35. From payment of the other things that would henceforth be due to us, namely, the tithes and taxes, as well as the salt tax, and the crown tax—from all these we grant them release.