Egyptian “Intermediate Periods”. I am of the opinion that exodus occurred after the Second IP. The Hyksos conquerers of that period were also known as the “Shepard Kings” and were probably nomadic invaders from either the Middle East or the Western Desert or both. During that period the Isrealites may have been relatively autonomous. Once the Egyptians became ascendent in the 1500s BC they might have clamped down on the shepard peoples including Israelites to the point that it became intolerable.
After the 90 year reign of Tutmoses III, Amenhotep II had to deal with uprisings of the tributory states in the Middle East. This went on for some time and would have added to animosity toward Middle Easterners (Isrealites) settled in Egypt. In 1500 BC plus or minus 50 years there was a major eruption of Etna, and I think that it might have had an impact on the Nile watershed leading to the various plagues. I think that as this was a major volcanic event, there may have been other volcanic action, such as on the Arabian peninsula, i.e., “a pillar of fire by night, and of smoke by day”.
A smart guy like Moses, who might have been a ward of Queen Hatshepsut who was co-ruler during the last days of the ancient king Tutmoses III might have been involved in various palace coups and disturbances leading to his exile in the desert and later the decision to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. There was a major effort to wipe the Queen’s existance from the Egyptian royal record. So I am putting the Exodus in the 1400’s BC. Naturally the Egyptians would leave no record of such an embarrassing event. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.
:’) The conventional chronology is a pseudochronology. When Hatshepsut visited Punt, she did so when Solomon ruled in Jerusalem. The Hyksos invasion corresponded to the Exodus, in that the Hebrews were on the way out, and the Hyksos were on the way in.
I had considered the 2nd Intermediate Period as the possible time of Exodus, but discarded it. Reason: I accept most of Joshua, Judges, Kings & Chronicles as historically accurate. I don’t always accept the Bible’s compilations of years as accurate. It’s pretty much undisputed that under the New Kingdom, Canaan was a province fully under Egyptian control. And Egypt exerted this control over quite a period. Yet, while the Bible mentions the conquests of Assyrians, Babylonians & Persians (all known historically through other sources) there is no biblical reference to Egyptian occupation.
Looking at the genealolgical timeline from Joshua through Kings/Chronicles, I see the greatest period of chaos in the Israelite conquest of Canaan, and then the rise of the kingdom of David & Solomon ~900-800 BC. Thereafter, Judea & Israel split, and the Assyrians assume ascendancy in the area. In the Bible, Assyrian King Sennarcharib refers to Egypt as a “broken reed,” which she surely wasn’t under the New Kingdom.
Thus, I put the Exodus at the 3rd Intermediate Period.