35 Demetrius the Second did what Simon wanted and wrote him the following letter:
36 King Demetrius sends greetings to the Jewish people and their leaders, including Simon, who is high priest and a trusted friend of the king.
37 Thank you for the gold crown and the gold palm branch you sent me. I am ready to make a lasting peace by ordering my officials to stop collecting taxes from you.
38 I will give you everything I have promised in our treaties. Besides that, you can keep the fortresses you have just built.
39 I forgive everything you have done wrong in the past. And from now on, I won't collect the special royal tax or any of the other taxes I used to receive from Jerusalem.
40 I will hire any of your people who are prepared to help me in my kingdom. Let's give peace a chance!
41 So in the year 170 of the Syrian Kingdom, the Jews won their freedom from the Gentiles.