The nature of the soul is a deep and complicated topic, but it can be summarized as our spiritual life — that is, who we are in terms of our thoughts and affections. And that, generally, is the internal sense when the Bible talks of a soul. You could be missing limbs, disfigured in the body due to illness or accident, paralyzed, but you would still be a complete human being. That's because the soul is the real you, and the soul has to do with internal things, not the state of your body.

4313. In the internal historical sense 'as he passed over Penuel' means when they entered the land of Canaan. This is clear from the fact that Penuel was the first stopping-place after Jacob passed over the river Jabbok, and that every boundary had a spiritual meaning, its distance and position determining its specific meaning, 1585, 1866, 4116, 4240. Accordingly because it was the first boundary, 'Penuel' means when they entered the land of Canaan.