Esther 1

Artaxerxes Rules The World's Largest Empire1

It's the days when Emperor Artaxerxes {Truthful-Ruler} reigns from India to Cush {Ethiopia}, over 127 [national] territories:
The scope of this story is huge: an obscure Jewish orphan slave-girl becomes the Queen of the entire Persian empire, influential wife to the most powerful man alive. His Empire spanned a population many times larger than that of the United States. Xerxes is an assumption. This is more probably Artaxerxes aka Ahasuerus/ Astyages, who bore the title: Darius (the Maintainer). YHVH's name doesn't appear whole in the book of Esther. But ‘Y-H-V-H’ is hidden inside of Esther's Hebrew text in easily-viewable acrostic patterns.

— the days when Artaxerxes {Truthful-Ruler} sits on his kingdom's throne in Suza, the fortified Capitol [city of the colossal Medo-Persian Empire].
Shushan the capital city of the Persian Empire, on the river Shapur, east of the Persian gulf.

The Emperor Throws History's Biggest Feast3

In the 3rd year of Artaxerxes' reign, he throws a feast for his princes and officials; the military men of Persia {Iran} and Media {Western-Asia}. The nobles and governors of the [Empire's 127] provinces assemble before Xerxes.
This verse suggests that this may have been king Astyages, not Xerxes, based on the assumption that this feast is in a peaceful year, not wartime.

For 180 days Artaxerxes {Truthful-Ruler} displays the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.

After 180 days, the Emperor gives a 7-day banquet in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest in the citadel of Susa.

In the garden hang white and blue linen [tapestries], fastened to marble pillars with cords of white linen and purple-dyed [hemp] on silver rings. [The rich nobles eat and drink. They recline on] dining-couches of gold and silver. [The floor shines:] a mosaic pavement of white [and black] marble, red feldspar, brilliant mother-of-pearl, blue turquoise, and other costly stones.

The Feasters & Emperor Get Slobbering Drunk7

[Beautiful slaves] serve wine in goblets of gold, each one unique. The royal wine flows endlessly, showing the Emperor's generous wealth.

There are no limits on the drinks, 😇. The Emperor orders the palace-servants to [pour] everyone as much [alcohol] as they want [to guzzle]!
This state-sponsored addiction is the source of the problems that follow, just as in your country today.

Queen Vashti Holds A Competing Feast9

Queen Vashti {Thread} also gives a banquet for the women in the royal palace of Emperor Artaxerxes.
Greek historian Herodotus states that after Persia's invasion against Greece, Ahasuerus' (Xerxes') wife was a cold, vindictive queen.

The Emperor Summons His Gorgeous Queen Vashti10

On the 7th day, the Emperor's heart gets giddy with wine. So he summons [his] 7 [top] attending eunuchs: (Mehuman {Crowd-Roar}, Biztha, Harbona {Destroying-Sword}, Bigtha, Abagtha {Father-Of-the-Wine-Press}, Zethar and Carcas {Lamb's-Covering}).
Chamberlains castrated to keep them from being sexually attracted to the Queen or aggressive toward the Emperor.

The Emperor [barks to his officials]: "Bring Queen Vashti before [me]! [Make her] wear her royal crown!” Xerxes [shouts to] his vassal-kings [who stand before] the [drunken] crowd, “[Wait 'til] you see [my Queen. She's the most] beautiful woman [in the world]!
Vashti might have appeared for the nobles. But she didn't want the poor common people to even look at her.

Persia's Queen Refuses To Model For Drunk Men12

The Emperor's chamberlains deliver [his commandment]. But queen Vashti {Thread} refuses to come [show off her beauty]. So the Emperor cracks off in fury. His anger burns in his [heart], 😇.

Royal Advisers Decree Divorce For The Queen13

Since it's customary for the Emperor to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he speaks with the wise men who understand the times:

[The Emperor consults the men] closest to him: Carshena {Sleeping-Lamb}, Shethar, Admatha {Cloud-Of-Death}, Tarshish {Gem}, Meres {OutFlow}, Marsena {Bitter-Bramble} and Memucan {Haman}, the 7 nobles of Persia and Media who enjoy special royal access, the highest [rank] in the Empire.

“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” asks the Emperor. “She disobeys the command that [I,] Emperor Xerxes sent via eunuchs to her!”

Memucan {Haman} answers, addressing the Emperor and [his] princes: “Vashti the queen has done wrong not only to the Emperor, but also to all [his] princes, and to all the people in all the provinces of Emperor Xerxes.
When a woman disobeys a reasonable command of her husband or father, the fabric of society is in danger. Memucan probably = evil Haman.

—The queen's defiance will echo abroad to all women. So in their own eyes the [women] will despise their husbands. They'll whine, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him. Yet she refused to come. [So I don't have to obey you, hubby!]’

—This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who hear about the queen's misconduct will contradict all [your] Imperial nobles in the same way. There'll be no end of disrespect and discord.

—So if it pleases [you,] Emperor, issue a royal decree. [Order the scribes] to write the dictum into the unrepealable laws of Persia and Media. [Proclaim] that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of Emperor Xerxes. Also, Emperor, give Vashti's royal position [and estate] to some [other woman] better than her.
Possibly Haman is trying to snag Vashti for himself.

—[Make trumpeters] publish [your] Imperial decree (which [you] will make) throughout [your] whole colossal empire. Then all the wives will give honor to their husbands, both great and small!”

The Emperor Strips And Banishes His Queen21

The [drunk] Emperor and his [drunk] nobles smile, pleased with this [dumb, marriage-destroying] advice. So the Emperor executes Memucan's proposal.

Emperor ArtaXerxes dispatches [thousands of foot-messengers. They sprint from Persia's palace. They carry] bulletins to every province of the Empire, to each province in its own script, to each people-group in their own language. The [couriers shout], “Publish this edict: Each man is ruler of his own house!”
Women must obey their husbands and fathers. There's no other way. Dad holds the steering wheel. Grabbing it out of his hand will just kill everybody. Too bad that men are such incompetent leaders. But that's the way it is. If you didn't want to follow his leadership, you shouldn't have married him.