When Israel was at Mount Sinai, the people made a golden calf as an idol (Exodus 32). This idol was likely shaped like the sacred bulls and cows that people worshiped in Egypt. Two well-known Egyptian gods were Apis, a bull god, and Hathor, a cow goddess. Both were connected with fertility (the ability to have children, animals, and good crops).
Later, when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, they met people who worshiped other fertility gods. These Canaanite religions taught that their gods gave rain, crops, and children. The Israelites would be tempted to trust these false gods instead of trusting the one true God to bless them (compare Deuteronomy 8:18–20).