1 Maccabees 11:29–37

²⁹The king consented, and wrote a letter to Jonathan about all these things; its contents were as follows:

³⁰“King Demetrius to Jonathan his brother and to the nation of the Jews, greeting. ³¹This copy of the letter which we wrote concerning you to Lasthenes our kinsman we have written to you also, so that you may know what it says. ³²‘King Demetrius to Lasthenes his father, greeting. ³³To the nation of the Jews, who are our friends and fulfil their obligations to us, we have determined to do good, because of the good will they show toward us. ³⁴We have confirmed as their possession both the territory of Judea and the three districts of Aphairema and Lydda and Rathamin; the latter, with all the region bordering them, were added to Judea from Samaria. To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem, we have granted release from the royal taxes which the king formerly received from them each year, from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees. ³⁵And the other payments henceforth due to us of the tithes, and the taxes due to us, and the salt pits and the crown taxes due to us— from all these we shall grant them release. ³⁶And not one of these grants shall be canceled from this time forth for ever. ³⁷Now therefore take care to make a copy of this, and let it be given to Jonathan and put up in a conspicuous place on the holy mountain.’ ”