Hosea 13:4

Yahweh had been Israel’s God since the Israelites had lived in Egypt. Israel first became a nation in Egypt. Before that the Israelites were just a large family (Genesis 46:3). He had commanded the Israelites not to acknowledge any gods beside Himself because He was the only God who could save them (cf. Deuteronomy 11:28; Deuteronomy 32:17; Jeremiah 9:2; Jeremiah 31:34). For them to become idolaters would only be frustrating and futile. To abandon the only savior is to doom oneself to no salvation.