After the death of Joshua, the Israelites turned away from God, and served idols.

You then served idols that were no gods.

For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

He will say to them, "Why have ye left Me and served idols, which are nothing?"

Manasseh told him the solution, and Ashi, in amazement at the king's scholarship, asked why one so erudite had served idols.

Abraham was among the idolaters when in the land of Assyria, and served idols with his kindred on the other side of the flood; Jos.