Are there any books that discuss the history and development of gematria?

In the world of esoteric studies, a special symbolic coding system called gematria has been used throughout history to unlock hidden meanings in sacred texts. But what exactly is gematria and what are some books that discuss its history?

Gematria is an ancient method of encryption or numerical codes that have been used for centuries to translate words into numbers. It is based on the belief that certain sacred texts contain hidden mysteries and meanings that can be unlocked through numerical codes. It involves assigning numerical values to each letter of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin alphabet, then adding these values together to find the numerical equivalent of a word or phrase. For example, in Hebrew each letter corresponds to a number, so the word "God" would be spelled out in Hebrew letters "Gimel-Dalet" and would correspond to a numerical value of 3 + 4 = 7.

The use of gematria dates back centuries, with its origin believed to be either Babylonian or early Jewish mysticism. It has since been studied by scholars in fields such as hypnotism, hermeneutics and occultism, who have used it as an aid in their interpretations of ancient spiritual texts. Today it is still used by biblical scholars and mystics alike to explore hidden meanings found within religious texts.

There are several books available which discuss the history and development of gematria. One such book is The Book Of Gematria: The Cabalistic System Of Numbers by Robert Ginsburg (2011). In this book, Ginsburg explores the various beliefs behind gematria as well as providing an interesting historical overview of its use over time. Other books exploring this subject include James Wasserman's The Mystery Of The Alphabet: Glimpses Into Kabbalah (2006), George Sion's Numerical Occult Language (1984) and Reuven Chaim Klein's The History And Development Of Gematria (2018).