Thank you for the question on generational behavior, “It runs in the blood”. How can this be explained from a scriptural standpoint?”
Deuteronomy 6 provides us insight on how beliefs and practices are passed on from one generation to the next generation. The beliefs and practices can be good values and practices as well as immoral values and practices.
The text says this, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Citations are in the New International Version.
The phrase, “It’s in your blood.” is a metaphor or figure of speech that speaks of a certain value that has imprinted into one’s belief and practice that controls one’s action.
For the Jewish people, they were to continually speak and teach the Torah. the Law to their children in every opportunity that is given to them. The child learns the words and the conduct associated with the religious beliefs and practices. It becomes part of their life and lifestyle.
As one reads I-II Kings, one can see the generational practices of the kings of Israel. The Northern Kingdom’s king were idolatrous and evil while for some of the kings in the Southern Kingdom were true and moral to their God.
I Kings 15 says this, “Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit” (NIV).
The phrase, “following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit” is repeated often in the Kings. In our modern term, we called the family trait as generational transference.
SUMMARY: The core beliefs and actions of one practice is imitated by one’s child. Thus the phrase, “Like father, Like son” or “It runs in the blood” is generational transference, following the ways of his fathers.
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/It-runs-in-the-blood-How-can-this-be-explained-from-a-scriptural-standpoint