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I am confused between : Will, legacy, Commandment, Precept, Behest, Testament and more.
Which word refer to the declaration or the message by which a person ask the world to do certain things after his death, like his recommendations and the distribution of his property..etc.
The most common is almost certainly will. The others are all certainly used, and the doubled-up "will and testament" is quite common particularly in the wording of wills themselves (such doubling up is particularly common in matters of law, as per "aid and abet", "cease and desist", "null and void" an so on). While commonly used in the document itself, and formal legal documents relating to one, it's nowhere near as common as plain will in other contexts, including when talking with lawyers.
Of those you list, legacy is incorrect, as it refers to the goods and funds bequeathed. As tchrist suggests in the comments it's possible that you meant bequest when you said behest in which case it would have been an interesting reverse mistake; bequest is also what is given (and the verb to describe doing so) while behest is the command that it be done and so could be used as another name for a will, albeit a rare one.
Sometimes I've heard terms last requests, final requests, or final wishes used. These aren't necessarily legally binding, like a will, but they are a way to let wishes be passed along to family members.
Sometimes you'll hear about someone getting their "affairs" in order. In this context, "affairs" would cover a will, along with final wishes, and perhaps even arrangement for a particular a burial plot, an epitaph for a tombstone, indications of whether or not the deceased would prefer to be cremated, etc.
A number of funeral homes use terms like "final requests" or "final wishes" in their websites, as do other funeral planning guides, such as this one.
I would call it The father’s will (and testament) - the latter part seems not used much anymore
Testament - from Oxford dictionary
- a person’s will, especially the part relating to personal property: father’s will and testament
- something that serves as a sign or evidence of a specified fact, event, or quality: growing attendance figures are a testament to the event’s popularity
- (in biblical use) a covenant or dispensation. (Testament) a division of the Bible. See also Old Testament, New Testament. (Testament) a copy of the New Testament: he was able to buy a Testament
Origin:
Middle English: from Latin testamentum 'a will' (from testari 'testify'), in Christian Latin also translating Greek diathēkē 'covenant'
Testament free dictionary
3. Law A written document providing for the disposition of a person's property after death; a will.
Will from free dictionary
7.
a. A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possessions to be disposed of after death.
b. A legally executed document containing this declaration.
@Ala You ask, in your subsequent comment: 'Let's say a father wrote a letter to his sons to be opened after his death, Asking them to take care of their disabled sister'.
There are a host of questions which arise. Is the disabled sister 'legally competent'. e.g. Is she mentally or physically disabled? If the former the usual thing would be for the father to leave money in trust for her and to appoint the sons as trustees.
I am not sure what happens if someone refuses to act as a trustee. Perhaps the court of probate can appoint a replacement. Normally before writing a will in this way one asks the proposed trustees if they would be willing to act.
No one has the power to require another person by way of a will to do something e.g.'look after your sister'.
