I have the following database tables: lookup and employee.

Lookup Table: structure with sample data.

class_name * value * description
----------------------------------------------
SEX_CODE * 1 * Male
SEX_CODE * 2 * Female
BANK_CODE * 1 * HSBC
BANK_CODE * 2 * CityBank

Employee Table: structure with sample data.

id * name * sex_code * bank_code
--------------------------------------------
1 * Yusuf * 1 * 1
2 * Maher * 1 * 2
3 * Suzan * 2 * 1

What is the best way to map them into jpa entities?

I tried to map an abstract class to lookup table and use class_name column as discriminator for the subclasses Sex and Bank and reference the bank and sex as ManyToOne in the employee object.. but I'm getting a class cast exception when the sex_code and bank_code has the same value.

I tried to create views Sex_lookup and Bank_lookup and map them directly to entities. again hibernate complains that he can't find a table with such name.

Help please.