Etude,
I suppose I chose "exodus" because one consensus is that it was after or at the time of "leaving" (exiting) Babylon that the Hebrews decided to evaluate their condition -- that their gods had abandoned them and led them to captivity -- and then decide that they were going to observe or follow a new idea, a monotheistic idea, one that would triumph over the multitude of gods of their captors, one that was even more powerful.
All I know is I was corrected on the same point of Exodus (which is not coincidentally the name of the second book of the Torah, depicting the migration from Egyptian) vs Exile a few years ago by someone knowledgable on the subject (a rabbi who teaches the Torah).
As far as timing of writing/editing, my impression is they had plenty of time to weep, tear their garments, and gnash their teeth while sitting on the banks of the Euphrates, engaging in brain-storming sessions over the theodicy question while in exile. Plenty of time to write/edit, too.
BTW, I love in Exodus how the horses of the Pharoahs are seemingly 1/3 feline, experiencing 3 deaths:
(From "The Atheists Book of Bible Stories")
PHARAOH'S REMARKABLE HORSES
Going once:
In response to Pharaoh's hard heartedness in not letting the Israelites leave, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. The fifth plague consisted of pestilence. In Exodus 9:6, the New English Bible describes it like this: “And Jehovah did this thing the next day, and all the Egyptian’s stock died, but of the stock that belonged to the sons of Israel, not one died.”
So, there they go. All of the Egyptians livestock are now dead. Going twice:
Unfortunately, the dead animals haven’t learned their lesson, so when plague 10 rolls around , they get targeted again. Exodus 12:29 informs us: “And at midnight, Jehovah struck every firstborn in Egypt, from the Pharaoh's firstborn, who was to sit on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoners of war in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle.”
Notice that “every firstborn in Egypt” is killed. This would mean every firstborn of every family of humans and animals. Cattle are specifically listed. I wonder what they did to deserve this notoriety. They always seem so unassuming. They must be plotting something.
Now, how is it that the firstborn of animals are killed, when all of the animals had already been killed in plague 5? Please note that if every firstborn is killed, that would also include horses. I bring this up because it becomes important in a minute.
Going three times?
Well, stubborn Pharaoh still hasn’t learned his lesson. After a momentary lapse where he lets the Israelites go, he changes his mind and chases after them. Exodus 14:9 points out: “And the Egyptians pursued them, and overtook them 27 camping by the sea, all the Pharaoh's chariot-ponies and cavalry horses and his troops, by Pi-Hahiroth, in front of Baal-Sephan.”
The Israelites must have been moving slowly indeed, if Pharaoh overtook them on twice-dead ponies. In spite of the remarkable accomplishments of these dead steeds, they get it one more time. In Exodus 14:23, the Red Sea washes over the Egyptians, killing them, their ponies, and their cavalry horses. It’s too bad these horses were so thoroughly killed. These remarkable animals would surely have made valuable breeding stock.