Rabbinic literature states that when Noah was 480 years old all the righteous men were dead, except Methuselah and himself, who were of immense stature as they were descended from the sons of God. At God's command they both announced that 120 years would be given to men for repentance; if in that time they had not mended their evil ways, the earth would be destroyed. But their plea was in vain; even while Noah was engaged in building the ark the wicked made sport of him and his work, saying: "If the Flood should come, it could not harm us. We are too tall; and, moreover, we could close up with our feet were of monstrous size the springs from below." They resorted to these tactics; but God heated the water, and their feet and the flesh of their bodies was scalded.