Jeremiah 28* and 36* bear signs of having been composed during the prophet's lifetime. These stories depict incidents that had the potential to severely damage the prophet's reputation among the Judean public: clashes with powerful opponents from which Jeremiah seemed to have emerged as the losing party. These early narratives served apologetic ends, providing Jeremiah's followers with an account of the incidents that stressed YHWH's support for his true prophet. The investigation confirms the theory that conflict on a broad variety of topics played a significant role in stimulating the growth of prophetic literature.