Final answer:
Hosea 4:12 in the Bible suggests that idolatry led to the straying of the people away from Yahweh, and this disobedience resulted in various forms of divine punishment, as seen in the historical context starting from the time of Moses.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Hosea 4:12, the reason for the straying of the people is their engagement in idolatry and consulting with wooden idols, leading to a spirit of prostitution that caused them to err. This shows that the Bible attributes the straying of the people away from Yahweh to their own actions and the influence of idol worship. Throughout the Old Testament, various forms of punishment such as plagues, sword, and famine are described as consequences for the Israelites' disobedience.
The historical context provided in the Bible suggests that from the time of Moses, the forgetting or abandonment of Yahweh and his teachings led to numerous disasters for the Hebrews, which included not only the loss of favor with their god but also tangible, devastating consequences, as recorded in the stories of forced deportations and the destruction of the temple.