Jewish books;
for no part of the administration is done rashly by these kings, but all
things are managed with great circumspection. On which account I have
subjoined a copy of these epistles, and set down the multitude of the
vessels sent as gifts [to Jerusalem], and the construction of every one,
that the exactness of the artificers' workmanship, as it appeared to
those that saw them, and which workman made every vessel, may be
made manifest, and this on account of the excellency of the vessels
themselves. Now the copy of the epistle was to this purpose: "Demetrius
to the great king. When thou, O king, gavest me a charge concerning
the collection of books that were wanting to fill your library, and
concerning the care that ought to be taken about such as are imperfect,
I have used the utmost diligence about those matters. And I let you
know, that we want the books of the Jewish legislation, with some
others; for they are written in the Hebrew characters, and being in the
language of that nation, are to us unknown. It hath also happened to
them, that they have been transcribed more carelessly than they ought
to have been, because they have not had hitherto royal care taken about
them. Now it is necessary that thou shouldst have accurate copies of
them. And indeed this legislation is full of hidden wisdom, and entirely
blameless, as being the legislation of God; for which cause it is, as
Hecateus of Abdera says, that the poets and historians make no mention
of it, nor of those men who lead their lives according to it, since it
is a holy law, and ought not to be published by profane mouths. If then
it please thee, O king, thou mayst write to the high priest of the Jews,
to send six of the elders out of every tribe, and those such as are most
skillful of the laws, that by their means we may learn the clear and
agreeing sense of these books, and may obtain an accurate interpretation
of their contents, and so may have such a collection of these as may be
suitable to thy desire."

5. When this epistle was sent to the king, he commanded that an epistle
should be drawn up for Eleazar, the Jewish high priest, concerning these
matters; and that they should inform him of the release of the Jews that
had been in slavery among them. He also sent fifty talents of gold for
the making of large basons, and vials, and cups, and an immense quantity
of precious stones. He also gave order to those who had the custody of
the chest that con