And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals: For the Hebrew verb rendered punish, see 1.4. The feast days of the Baals is literally “the days of the Baals.” The phrase can mean “the times” when Israel worshiped Baal (so Good News Translation). But in this context “the festival celebrations” of worship are more likely meant (compare 2.11). Although there was only one pagan god called Baal in Canaanite religion, there were many shrines with their own names and statues of Baal, for example, Baal of Peor (Num 25.3) and Baal of Carmel (1 Kgs 18.19). These different Baals should probably be seen as local manifestations of the one deity called “Baal.” The Hebrew text uses the plural “Baals” here (also in 2.17 and 11.2), while in 2.8 the singular “Baal” occurs. Good News Translation uses the singular consistently, perhaps to avoid the idea that there were many gods named “Baal.” However, given the fact that different manifestations of Baal were identified in the Old Testament, it is possible that Hosea uses the term to refer to (manifestations of) foreign deities in general. Therefore a translation containing a plural form is recommended, such as “images of Baal” (New Living Translation) or “Baal idols” ( NET Bible).

When she burned incense to them: Incense is usually the gum of certain plants which, when burned, produces a smoke that smells like perfume. Incense is used in worship, where the rising smoke is considered a symbol of prayer. However, the Hebrew verb rendered burned incense can also mean “to produce smoke [by making a burnt offering],” so Jerusalem Bible renders this clause as “when she burnt offerings to the Baals” (similarly Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Either sense is acceptable in this context.

And decked herself with her ring and jewelry: Decked herself may be rendered “adorned herself” ( NET Bible). Her ring and jewelry may refer to jewelry worn in worship (see Exo 33.4) or to jewelry worn by prostitutes (see Ezek 23.40). The Hebrew word for ring may refer to a nose ring or earrings made out of gold. The Hebrew word for jewelry is a generic term for ornaments worn on any part of the body. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (1982) does not specify what was worn by rendering this line and the next one as “that she adorned herself for her lovers.”

And went after her lovers may imply that she participated in processions leading into the shrines of the pagan gods and moving about within the shrines. But the more likely meaning in this context is that she pursued these gods like a prostitute seeking men (see 2.5, 7).

And forgot me is literally “and me she forgot.” The word order in Hebrew puts emphasis on the pronoun me. Bible en français courant keeps this emphasis by saying “and me, she has forgotten me.” This clause is in the final position of the verse, which gives it a special connotation of sorrow and disappointment. Good News Translation moves it near the beginning of the verse to give it emphasis in English, and because forgetting Yahweh precedes worshiping other gods. However, the special effect of the unusual order of events in the original text can no longer be recognized in Good News Translation.

Says the LORD: The usual Hebrew word for speaking is not used here; instead says renders a noun meaning “utterance,” “declaration,” or “statement.” The formula here introduces a formal declaration, or pronouncement, from God, emphasizing that it is an authoritative and important message. The prophets used this formula to show that what was spoken was a divine utterance. Here it marks the end of a section of the discourse. Although the discourse itself continues in the next verse, a clear change of attitude begins there. Some translations indicate the formulaic nature of this expression by using a different format for it (see the model below).

A translation model for this verse is:

• I will punish her for the celebrations she dedicated to the Baal images,
in which she devoted burnt offerings to them
and adorned herself with rings and [other] jewelry.
And me? She has forgotten me.
-The LORD speaks-

Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .