The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves - i:e., shall fear for them. The calves were unable to help themselves, much less them.
Of Beth-aven - substituted for Bethel in contempt (Hosea 4:15), the house of vanity, for the house of God.
For the people thereof shall mourn over it - singular, the one in Bethel; after the pattern of which the other "calves" (plural) were made. "Calves" in the Hebrew is feminine, 'cow-calves,' to express contempt for their female-like weakness and helplessness.
The people thereof - namely, of the calf; no longer being "the people of God."
And the priests thereof that rejoiced on it - the Hebrew is only used of idolatrous priests (2 Kings 23:5, "The idolatrous priests" (Hebrew, Chemarim) were "put down" by Josiah, in fulfillment of Hosea's prophecy; Zephaniah 1:4, "I will cut off the name of the Chemarims with the priests"), [kªmaariym], from a root [Chaldaic, qªmowr, a girdle; or kaamar (H3648), to be black-literally, sunburnt] meaning either the black garment in which they were attired, or х kaamar (H3648)], to resound, referring to their howling cries in their sacred rites (Calvin).
That rejoiced on it - because it was a source of gain to them. Maurer translates х yaagiyluw (H1523)], 'shall leap in trepidation on account of it; as Baal's priests did (1 Kings 18:26). The English version is the usual meaning of the verb, but requires that to be supplied.
For the glory thereof - the magnificence of ate ornaments and its worship.