Book of Hosea Chapter 2 Vs. 13

Israel's Unfaithfulness Punished 

And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD. Hos. 2:13

visit upon her... I will punish them for serving Baal (Hos. 2:11-13).

decked herself with... God put jewelry on her, including bracelets… a necklace, a ring on her nose, earrings, and a crown. The “ring” was clipped to the outer part of a nostril and was worn as jewelry with bracelets and earrings (cf. Gen. 24:47; Isa. 3:21). All this suggests that under God’s blessing during the reigns of David and Solomon Jerusalem became a magnificent city (cf. 1Kgs. 10:4-5).

Besides receiving expensive jewelry and fine clothes Jerusalem also was given the choicest foods: fine flour, honey, and olive oil. Everything she could possibly need or want was lavished on her by her gracious, generous “Husband.” Being beautiful, she became a queen, and her beauty was known throughout the nations. See Eze. 16:11-14; 23:40-42.

after her lovers... The lovers of Israel were the many nations round about, whom they made alliances with and trusted in instead of Jehovah.

and forgat me...(compare 2Kgs. 17:7-18), for a detailed description of what their abandonment of God involved.

The "days of Baalim" is speaking of the time when they were practicing idolatry. They had given the love that belonged to God to these false gods. The "burning of incense" in the temple of God symbolized the prayers of the saints rising to heaven. It appears, they had been praying to false gods.

Outward show of beauty is not Godliness. True beauty comes from within. You may appear to the world to be in right standing with God, but God looks on the heart. They had become worldly and forgotten God. They were lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God.

In burning incense to the Baals Israel had, as it were, seductively chased after her lovers (cf. Hos. 2:5). The rings and jewelry, though sources of delight and signs of prestige in the proper context (cf. Pro. 25:12; Eze. 16:12-14), here represent the unfaithful wife’s efforts to attract her lovers. The plural “Baals” (cf. also Hos. 2:17; 11:2; Jdg. 2:11 [see]; 1Sam. 7:4; Jer. 2:23; 9:14) in this context probably refer to various local manifestations of the one Canaanite deity (cf. the singular Baal in Hos. 2:8; 13:1), who was represented by images in Baal shrines scattered throughout the land (cf. Hos. 13:1-2). The plurality of idols naturally suggested the comparison to many lovers (cf. James Luther Mays, Hosea: A Commentary, p. 43).

The final statement in this section (Hos. 2:2-13) summarizes Israel’s basic sin and the reason for the coming judgment: she had forgotten (šāḵaḥ) the Lord. The verb here does not refer to a mental lapse or loss of knowledge; it describes a refusal to acknowledge the Lord’s goodness and authority (cf. Hos. 8:14; 13:6). Moses had repeatedly urged the nation not to forget the Lord’s gracious deeds (Deut. 4:9; 8:11) and His demand for exclusive worship (Deut. 4:23; 6:12; 8:19; cf. 2Kgs. 17:38). However, in fulfillment of Moses’ prediction (cf. Deut. 31:27-29 with Deut. 32:18) Israel throughout her history forgot the Lord and worshiped false gods (cf. Jdg. 3:7; 1Sam. 12:9-10; Psm. 78:9-11; Jer. 23:27).