The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely, rely.
“The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely, rely.”
Also, their father advised them not to enter Egypt from one gate all together, but to enter from different gates. This would be safer in terms of someone harming all of them if someone wished to do so.
The plain meaning, from Al-Mukhtasar fi at-Tafsir
وَقَالَ يَٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍ وَٰحِدٍ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates; and I cannot avail you against the decree of Allah at all. The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely indeed rely."
What does Quran 12:67 mean?
Ya‘qub (peace be upon him) has just told his sons to enter Egypt through different gates rather than all together — an ordinary precaution — and then says this, which is the precaution being put in its place. The commentators are explicit: the advice could not turn away anything Allah had decreed, and he knew it. Taking the measure and knowing it decides nothing are held together in one sentence.
Written from Al-Mukhtasar fi at-Tafsir