Albert Barnes Commentary Haggai 1:9

"Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house." — Haggai 1:9 (ASV)

You looked - literally, “a looking.” It is as if he said that it has all been one constant looking, for much, (for increase, the result of all sowing in the way of nature): and behold it came to little, (that is, less than was sown). As Isaiah declared to them of old by God’s word (Isaiah 5:10), the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah, that is, one tenth of what was sown. And ye brought it home, and I blew upon it, so as to disperse it, just as not the wheat, but the chaff is blown before the wind. This, in whatever way it happened, was a further chastisement of God. The little seed which they brought in lessened through decay or waste.

Why? saith the LORD of hosts. God asks by His prophet what He asks in the awakened conscience (Psalms 39:11): “God with rebukes chastens man for sin.” A conscience, when alive, confesses for “what” sin; or it asks itself, if memory does not supply the special sin.

The unawakened conscience, however, complains about the excess of rain, the drought, the blight, the mildew. It does not ask itself why, in God’s Providence, these inflictions came in these years. They doubtless felt the sterility in contrast with the exceeding fertility of Babylonia, just as they contrasted the light bread (Numbers 21:5)—the manna—with the plenty of Egypt (Numbers 11:5). They probably ascribed their meager crops (as we mostly do) to mere natural causes, perhaps to the long neglect of the land during the captivity.

God forces the question upon their consciences, in that Haggai asks it in His Name—in whose hands all powers stand—saith the LORD of hosts. They do not have to talk it over among themselves, but to answer Almighty God, “Why?” That “Why?” strikes into the inmost depths of conscience!

Because of My house which is waste, and ye run - literally, “are running” all the while, each to his own house. They were absorbed in their material interests and had no time for those of God. When the question was of God’s house, they did not stir from the spot; when it was of their own concerns, they ran. Our Lord says (Matthew 6:33), Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. People reverse this, seek their own things first, and God withholds His blessing.

“This comes true of those who prefer their own conveniences to God’s honor, who do not thoroughly uproot self-love, whose penitence and devotion are shown to be unstable, for on a slight temptation they are overcome. Such are they who are bold, self-pleasing, wise and great in their own eyes, who do not ground their conduct on true and solid humility.”

(Cyr.) “To those who are slow to fulfill what is for the glory of God, and the things by which His house, the Church, is firmly supported, neither does the heavenly dew come (which enriches hearts and minds), nor the fruitfulness of the earth (that is, right action), nor food, nor wine, nor the use of oil. But they will always be strengthless and joyless, unenriched by spiritual oil, and remain without taste or participation of the blessing through Christ.”