Literary Devices – Bereshit 22

• The words “לֶךְ לְךָ” (Bereshit 12:1) that introduces Avraham’s first test (leaving his homeland) form a literary envelope with the words “לֶךְ לְךָ” (Bereshit 22:2) that introduce his last test (Akeidat Yitzchak).
• The language of Hashem's initial command, that Avraham go forth “from your land, and from your family, and from your father’s house” is structurally similar to His command to sacrifice Yitzchak: “take your son, your only one, whom you love”. In both, He gradually identifies the cherished place or person that Avraham must sacrifice.
•  In both stories Hashem uses similar language to describe Avraham’s destination: in Bereshit 12 He instructs Avraham to travel “to the land that I will show you” and in Bereshit 22 He commands that Avraham offer Yitzchak “on one of the mountains which I will tell you.”  
• Finally, the blessings promised to Avraham in 12:2-3 (וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ...  וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה) form a literary envelope with those promised to him in 22:17-18 ( כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ... וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ).

This literary envelope both demarcates the Avraham narratives and emphasizes the consistency of Avraham’s faith and devotion to Hashem throughout his many tests.

• See Rashi on Bereshit 22:2 who notes the similarity in structure between Bereshit 12:1 and 22:2, explaining how Hashem often will only slowly disclose his full intent to the righteous, so as to increase their reward.
• See R. Meir Lau's short piece, "אל תשלח ידך את הנער" who suggests that the frame of "לך-לך" perhaps marks a progression in the difficulty of Avraham's tests. While in Chapter 12 Hashem asks of Avraham that he forego his past, in Chapter 22 he demands of him to forsake his future.

• Tanakh Lab points out that, relative to the rest of Sefer Bereshit and the rest of Tanakh, two of the main guiding words of Chapter 22 are “יחיד” (only one) and “יחד” (together). These words reflect the agony of this chapter in which Avraham is called upon to sacrifice his only son borne by Sarah, and Avraham and Yitzchak travel together [see the threefold repetition of the phrase "וַיֵּלְכוּ (שְׁנֵיהֶם) יַחְדָּו"] for what Avraham imagines to be the last time. 
• Sources – See R. Hirsch's analysis of the meaning of the phrase "וילכו יחדו".

• Tanakh Lab points out that one of the roots that appears with greatest frequency in this chapter is “הלך”, occurring a symbolic seven times.
• Articles – For discussion of the role played by the root "הלך" in both this unit and the larger Avraham narratives, see י. גרוסמן, אברהם: סיפורו של מסע (תל אביב, 2014):38-39. Y. Grossman suggests that the repetition of the verb "to go" throughout the narrative highlights how Avraham is an active character, an initiator and doer. Moreover, the physical journeying that marks his life is perhaps symbolic of the more important inner spiritual journey.

• ויאמר הנני – The phrase "He said: Here I am", a term connoting readiness for a task, appears three times in the chapter: in verse 1 when Avraham responds to Hashem's call, in verse 7, when he responds to Yitzchak, and in verse 11, in response to the angel's call.
• Articles – See מ. עמנואלי, ספר בראשית הסברים והארות (תל אביב, 1978):305-306 who notes that the recurring phrases highlights the dilemma  in which Avraham finds himself. How can he be Avraham the obedient follower of Hashem, ever ready to answer His call and, simultaneously, Avraham the father, ever present for his son?

The word "בן" appears 10 time sin the story of the Akeidah (Bereshit 21:1-19) as the text continuously emphasizes the difficult challenge inherent in Hashem's test.

• ראה – The root “ראה” (to see) appears five times in this chapter (in verses 4,8,13, and twice in 14), at first with Avraham as the subject and then with Hashem as the subject. This reflects the way in which Avraham’s understanding of events is replaced with Hashem’s vision, as Avraham carries out Hashem’s command.
• Articles – See רא"ה ושמ"ע כצמד מלים מנחות by Amos Frisch who notes that while  the root "ראה" plays a significant role in this chapter, it is the root "שמע" which plays a significant role in Chapter 21. He notes that the thematic connection between the words makes them a "a leitwort pair" and serves to connect the two chapters.

Tanakh Lab demonstrates that Yitzchak is referred to 11 times as Avraham’s son and that Avraham is referred to three times as Yitzchak’s father. These relational epithets emphasize the closeness between them and the agony of the test of Akedat Yitzchak.

• אלהים – In the first half of the story, while Avraham undergoes the test, Hashem is consistently referred to by the generic name "Elokim", often understood to reflect God's attribute of justice (verses 1,3,8,9).
• י"י – In the second half of the story, when Avraham is told not to sacrifice and rewarded for his faith, God is consistently called by the personal, proper name, "Hashem", often understood to reflect Hashem's attribute of mercy. (verses 11, 14, 15, 16).

The text plays with certain similar sounding words:

• ראה-ירא
• יחד-יחיד

The following articles contain general discussion of wordplay in the Biblical text:

• See Wordplay in Biblical Hebrew: An Eclectic Collection, by Gary A. Rendsburg, for exploration of various forms of Biblical wordplays.
• See Wordplay in Ancient Near Eastern Texts, by Scott B. Noegel, for a book-length treatment of the range of permutations of wordplays in Tanakh and in other Ancient Near Eastern texts.
• See How Translation Obscured the Music and Wordplay of the Bible, by Prof. Robert Alter, for an interesting account of Prof. Alter’s efforts to capture the wordplays of the Bible in translation.