28 Jonathan asked Demetrius to stop collecting taxes from Judea and the three districts of Samaria, and, in return, he promised to give him 300,000 pieces of silver.
29 Demetrius agreed, then wrote the following letter:
30 King Demetrius sends greetings to his good friend Jonathan and to the Jewish nation.
31 I am sending you a copy of the letter I wrote about you to my friend Lasthenes, and here is what I said:
32 “King Demetrius sends greetings to his dear friend Lasthenes.
33 “The Jews are our friends, and I have decided to do them a big favor since they are loyal to us and can be trusted to keep their promises.
34 The three regions of Aphairema, Lydda, and Ramathaim, together with the land around them, used to belong to Samaria. Now they belong to Judea and are an official possession of the Jews.“Those Jews who offer sacrifices in Jerusalem don't have to pay me my share of their grain and fruit each year.